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Turmeric & Jalapeño Chicken Soup

A masterclass in whole-animal extraction and starch emulsion. By boiling a whole chicken to yield a restorative master stock, this golden soup relies on mechanically pureeing softened russet potatoes and fresh turmeric to achieve a thick, creamy mouthfeel without the use of heavy dairy, cut with the sharp heat of jalapeño.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Soup
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

The Whole Chicken Extraction
  • 1 small whole chicken 2 ½ to 3 ½ pounds
The Aromatic & Starch Base
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 1 large russet potato peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 4 stalks celery sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 large carrots peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 large jalapeño peppers seeded and finely diced (about ½ cup)
  • 6 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • 3 1-inch pieces fresh turmeric root, peeled and sliced
The Seasoning & Finish
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend or Tuscan spice blend
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped

Method
 

The Master Stock Extraction
  1. Rinse the whole chicken and discard any giblets from the cavity.
  2. Submerge the entire bird into a large stockpot of boiling, heavily salted water.
  3. Boil gently until the meat is completely cooked through and easily pulls away from the bone, about 45 minutes.
  4. Use a large slotted spoon or spider to carefully remove the chicken from the broth, transferring it to a cutting board to cool. Reserve the golden chicken broth.
Building the Aromatic Foundation
  1. In a second large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the diced onion, russet potato, celery, carrots, jalapeños, minced garlic, and fresh sliced turmeric.
  3. Cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, until they soften and begin to turn deeply golden, about 20 minutes.
The Mechanical Emulsion
  1. Carefully strain the reserved, hot chicken broth through a colander directly into the pot with the softened vegetables.
  2. Season the pot aggressively with the kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and dried herb blend. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes to fully tenderize the root vegetables.
  3. Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender (or working in batches with a standard blender), puree the soup until it forms a creamy, velvety emulsion. The starches in the soft russet potatoes will naturally thicken the broth to mimic a cream-based soup.
The Protein Integration & Finish
  1. While the soup simmers, remove the cooled chicken meat from the bones. Using two forks, finely shred the white and dark meat, discarding the skin and bones.
  2. Transfer the shredded chicken directly into the pureed, golden soup base.
  3. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
  4. Ladle the hot soup into deep ceramic bowls and garnish heavily with fresh chopped basil before serving.