Canja de Galinha (Cape Verdean Chicken and Rice Soup)
In short: Chicken simmered with rice, carrot, potato and a squeeze of lime into a light, comforting soup that Cape Verdean families cook for dinner and for the unwell. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 5 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 385 kcal
Canja is the soup Cape Verdean cooks make when someone is unwell, when a crowd needs feeding, or when a cool evening calls for comfort. A whole chicken simmers with onion and bay leaf, then rice cooks right in the broth until soft and slightly creamy. Lime juice and parsley at the end keep it bright. It is simple, cheap and gentle, which is why it is the first thing many people ask for after a long day.
Instructions
- Put the chicken, water, halved onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim the foam from the surface, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Partly cover and cook for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the meat pulls easily from the bone (74°C/165°F at the thickest part of a thigh).
- Lift the chicken onto a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes. Discard the onion halves and bay leaves, and bring the broth back to a simmer.
- Add the rice, carrots, potato and tomato to the broth. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the rice is very soft and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the pot and simmer for 3 minutes to heat through.
- Stir in the lime juice, pepper and parsley. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot in deep bowls, with hot pepper sauce on the side for anyone who wants it.
Tips
- Use bone-in chicken. The bones give the broth body, and boneless breast alone makes a thin soup.
- To make it heartier, add a handful of chopped cabbage or green beans with the rice. Some cooks also stir in a little cooked pumpkin.
Questions and answers
Can I make canja ahead and store it?
Yes. The rice keeps absorbing broth, so the soup thickens in the fridge. Store it for up to 3 days and thin it with hot water when reheating.
Can canja be frozen?
Freeze the soup without the rice if you can, then cook fresh rice when reheating. With rice in it, the texture turns soft, though it is still fine to eat.
What is the difference between canja and chicken noodle soup?
Canja uses rice instead of noodles and is cooked until the grains are soft and the broth is slightly thick. It is also seasoned lightly, with lime and parsley added at the end.
How long does it take to make Canja de Galinha (Cape Verdean Chicken and Rice Soup)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 1 h 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Canja de Galinha (Cape Verdean Chicken and Rice Soup)?
About 385 kcal per serving, with 30 g of protein, 35 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 385 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
