Easy Spanish Chicken and Eggs Soup

(Sopa de Pollo y Huevos)


By Edu Valor / Author - Spanish Chef

We rarely had this Spanish chicken and eggs soup in our family, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. It was actually quite good compared to some of the other soups we had.

Sometimes it had less broth, making it more of a stew for colder days.

That's the convenient thing about this dish: just add more of the ingredients if you want to make it denser and turn it into a main meal.

Spanish chicken and eggs soup with bread.A simple recipe for maximum taste.
Spanish chicken and eggs soup in a plate with bread.A simple recipe for maximum taste.


One Easy Recipe, Enough Variations


This is one of the few recipes that doesn't really need a flavorful sauté. You could add one if you wanted to, but in my opinion, it doesn't improve the experience.

The main flavors here are the chicken and the eggs, and that's really what I like about this soup. It's simple food without trying to be something it isn't.

I would, however, consider adding green beans, peas, pumpkin, spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, pasta, and so on. Any of these ingredients would go well with the basic recipe and give you a slightly different soup every time.

Knowing how easy it is to make, you have plenty of options for varying your weekly meals without having to reinvent the recipe.

Let's Make the Spanish Chicken and Eggs Soup

Ingredients for 4 Servings


Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: eggs 10-12 minutes

*Measurements in metric and USA Imperial system. For British/Canadian measurements please use the metric conversion calculator.


  • 400-450g / 14–16 oz boneless chicken, preferably chicken thighs
  •  2 L / 8 cups chicken broth or water
  • 1 large potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped (see photo)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste


Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Boil the eggs for 12 minutes. Peel and dice them as shown in the photo below. Set aside.
  2. Simmer the chicken, onion, and garlic in the chicken broth or water with the oil for 25–30 minutes, covered.
  3. Remove the chicken and add the potatoes to the same pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.
  4. While the potatoes cook, shred the chicken with a fork. When the potatoes are done, add the chicken and eggs to the pot. Stir gently, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Cover and simmer for another 2–3 minutes.

TIPS:

  • Substitute the potato with about 2 handfuls of vermicelli. Add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • Add a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley.
  • Instead of boiling the eggs, crack them directly into the soup just before adding the potatoes.
  • Serve with whole-wheat bread.
  • Vary the dish by adding pumpkin, green beans, peas, carrots, mushrooms, or other vegetables you have on hand.

Diced hard boiled eggs.Boiled egg quarters cut in half.
Diced hard boiled eggs.Boiled egg quarters cut in half.


A Filling and Nutritious Spanish Chicken and Eggs Soup


Sometimes we don't think much about the meals our parents prepared for us. It's just food on the table to keep us going, or so we thought.

Most of the time, they're ordinary meals that we take for granted. And sometimes, as kids, we'd rather have McDonald's instead.

Nothing wrong with that. I had those cravings myself, along with cravings for all those other foods we might categorize as junk food. But when you come down to it, I think it matters to be conscious of our choices.

Having too much highly processed or calorie-dense food on a regular basis can contribute to health problems over time. That's why I think we shouldn't underestimate those traditional dishes and what they can contribute to our wellbeing.

Chicken and eggs provide plenty of high-quality protein, along with nutrients such as vitamin B12, selenium, and several B vitamins. 

You really are what you eat, or at least, what you eat regularly has a lot to do with how you feel.

An ordinary dish like this Spanish chicken and egg soup, or its thicker stew version, can be part of a balanced diet. Eat junk food on a regular basis and you may eventually feel like junk.

Eat nutritious food regularly, and you're giving your body the fuel and nutrients it needs to get through the day, whether that's for your career, work, family, or simply enjoying life.

And sometimes, that's exactly what a good home-cooked soup or stew is supposed to do.



*****


Edu's Rich Soup Recipes