Colombian Chicken Soup

Method

1 Put the chicken in a large (at least 8 quart) stock pot and add 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, frequently skimming off the foam that floats to the surface.

2 Add all the vegetables, the garlic, the cilantro, and the bouillion cubes to the pot, along with the salt and pepper. Stir a few times to distribute the vegetables and submerge as many of the solids as possible. When the broth returns to a boil, lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer, stirring once or twice for 1 1/2 hours. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

3 Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pick out the chicken pieces and put them on a large plate. Stir the soup with a large spoon, breaking up some of the potatoes to thicken the soup slightly.

4 When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and shred it by hand. Discard the bones and tendons. When the soup is ready to serve, return the chicken to the soup.

5 Pulse all the aji ingredients in a food processor until they're finely minced. Transfer to a serving bowl.

6 Serve the soup with the aji, sliced avocados, sour cream, and cilantro in separate bowls. Let people add garnishes to their own servings.

Chicken Salad with Tarragon

Chicken Salad with Tarragon Recipe

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Ingredients

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat*
1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons dried tarragon (or 1-2 Tbsp fresh chopped tarragon)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

* Poach about 1 1/2 lbs of skinless chicken breasts and thighs, preferably bone-in (for flavor), in a quart of salted (1 teaspoon) water, for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from water, let cool, remove bones, chop the meat into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes.

Mix all of the ingredients together. Adjust seasoning. Serve with lettuce for a simple salad, in a tomato that has been cut open for a stuffed tomato, or with slices of bread for a chicken salad sandwich.

Chicken Curry Salad

Chicken Curry Salad Recipe

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
• Salt
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 heaping Tbsp yellow curry powder
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 apple (tart or sweet, your preference), peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (just lightly packed)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise optional

Method

1 Heat olive oil on medium/medium-high heat in a thick-bottomed sauté pan. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring frequently until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some salt on the chicken pieces while cooking. Check doneness by removing the thickest piece and cutting it in half. If it is still pink in the middle, keep cooking. Try not to overcook the chicken or it will be dry. Remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon, set aside in a bowl.

2 Add yellow onion and cook. After a few minutes, when the onions are beginning to get translucent, add 2 heaping tablespoons of yellow curry powder. Cook a few minutes more, stirring frequently. If the curry sticks to the bottom or the mixture gets dry, add a bit more olive oil to the pan. As you stir, scrape up the stuck curry bits. Add raisins, and cook, stirring another minute. (If adding optional mayonnaise, remove curry from heat and mix in mayo.) Add raisin and onion mixture to chicken and mix well, coating the chicken pieces with the curry infused olive oil. Refrigerate until cool. At this point you can make the salad a day a head of time.

3 When you are ready to serve the salad, mix in the apple, green onions, and cilantro.

Serves 4.