Jamaican Chicken Pumpkin Soup

Fall Soups Ideas

Jamaican Soup is one of my favorite Soups; I swear by this Soup if you are not feeling well or just one to eat something warm and tasty. I was first introduced to this incredible soup by my hubby. One day I was not feeling well, and he ordered Jamaican Chicken Pumpkin Soup from one of his go-to Jamaican restaurants in Queens, New York. Queens and Brooklyn are known for their excellent Jamaican restaurants. When I tell you, I consumed this soup in a matter of minutes, poor Dwayne had to leave out the house and pick me up some more.

It was that delicious and so different from your regular Chicken noodles soup. That Monday, I went back to work. I talked to the staff about this fantastic Soup I had over the weekend; everyone looked at me as crazy because this was nothing new to them. They had it over a million times, and our office manager was a Jamaican woman. She told me that I didn’t have the authentic Jamaican Pumpkin soup and that I had to try the one she makes for her family. A couple of days later, she brought me a big pot of Soup and let me tell you, and It was better than the one Dwayne got at the restaurant. She also gave me a little history of the Soup.

Jamaican Chicken Pumpkin Soup is a traditional Saturday soup that is cooked in most Jamaican households. You can use any part of the chicken that can be used; however, chicken back is often used because it is more affordable. This Chicken Pumpkin is a quick one-pot meal that features pumpkins, carrots, yellow yam, Irish potatoes, Cho Cho, and flour dumpling. It is an easy and quick recipe to follow. Our Office manager Marcia gave me her family recipe; I change some of the ingredients. I only use a whole chicken, and a lot of the time, I do not put in the dumplings; well, most of the time, I try to limit my carbs intake. But below is my version of this fantastic Soup. The best part of the recipe I picked out my own herbs and spiced from my backyard garden. Feel free to let me know the outcome of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

3 qt. water

2 lb. chicken

1/2 lb. carrots, cubed

6 Pimento Seeds/Berries (Allspice)

1/4 lb. turnips, cubed

3 Garlic pegs crushed

1 lb. Pumpkin/Squash (cut up into 1 inch pieces)

1/2 lb. Cho Cho/Christophine (cut up into 1 inch pieces)

1 lb. yellow yam, cut up

3 sprig thyme

2 stalks scallion

1 tablespoon salt

1 packet Jamaican Chicken Noodle or Cock Soup

1 Medium Irish Potato (optional)

3 stalks of celery diced (optional)

3 stalks of corn broken in half (optional)

Directions:

Boiled Chicken in 3 Qt Water for 5 minutes

Cut, seed and peel Kabocha squash. You will use only 2 cups of cubed Kabocha squash. Set aside.

In a large pot, add a little canola or olive oil, and lightly brown the chicken. Add the squash and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 -30 minutes.

Add sliced onion, potato, garlic, thyme sprigs, carrot (turnips and chayote, optional), and Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper.

Add the allspice berries

Now add the Soup Packet

Cook the soup for another 20-25 minutes.

Remove the pepper before serving. If you use a Scotch Bonnet pepper, I suggest occasionally tasting the soup, and remove the pepper at desired heat.