Chicken Escabeche (Belizean Onion and Allspice Soup)
In short: A Belizean chicken soup piled with sweet, silky onions and simmered with vinegar, allspice, clove and oregano, served with warm corn tortillas. It takes about 1 h 25 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 25 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 240 kcal
In Belize, escabeche is not a pickled dish but a chicken soup built on a mountain of sliced onions. The onions simmer with chicken, vinegar, whole allspice, cloves and oregano until sweet and silky, and the broth turns sharp, peppery and fragrant. It is ladled into deep bowls and eaten with warm corn tortillas and habanero hot sauce on the side.
Instructions
- Put the chicken, water, garlic, allspice, cloves, peppercorns and 1 tsp of the salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add the onions, oregano, cumin and the whole habanero, if using. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the chicken is very tender and the onions are soft and translucent but still in thick pieces.
- Stir in the vinegar and the remaining salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, then taste. The broth should be tart but balanced, so add a splash more vinegar or a pinch of salt if needed.
- Lift out the chicken and pull the meat into large pieces, discarding the bones, then return it to the pot. Fish out the habanero.
- Ladle into deep bowls and serve hot, with warm corn tortillas for dipping.
Tips
- Slice the onions thick so they hold their shape. Thin slices melt into the broth, and the soup loses its sweet, tender bite.
- Add the vinegar at the end. Long boiling dulls its sharpness, and the soup tastes flat.
Questions and answers
Is Belizean escabeche the same as pickled escabeche?
No. In Belize the name belongs to a hot chicken and onion soup flavored with vinegar and whole spices. The chicken is simmered in broth, not pickled or served cold.
Can I make escabeche ahead of time?
Yes. The flavor deepens overnight. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently, adding a splash of water if the broth has reduced.
How can I control the heat?
Cook the habanero whole for aroma with very little heat. For more heat, slice it into the pot, or pass habanero hot sauce at the table so each person can add their own.
How long does it take to make Chicken Escabeche (Belizean Onion and Allspice Soup)?
About 1 h 25 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Chicken Escabeche (Belizean Onion and Allspice Soup)?
About 240 kcal per serving, with 29 g of protein, 17 g of carbohydrates and 6 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 240 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 29 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
