Chicken Macaroni Soup (Sopas)

A bowl of good old Chicken Macaroni Soup or Sopas in Tagalog is the usual preference each time the cold weather months set in. It is during these months when low immunity from respiratory infections makes anyone susceptible to getting sick.  Sadly,

I got hit too. I have just recuperated from my cough and cold during the first week of January and this dish was the first thing I wanted to have as my palate was already getting dull from my medications and the “honey garlic mix” I take against my annoying cough. 

When I felt better, I sourced out and prepared the ingredients for my own version of a good Chicken Macaroni Soup. Hot soups help strengthen the immune system if the right ingredients are used. My version does not make use of hotdog pieces because I don’t want my Sopas to look pink from the food coloring additive of the sausage. Instead, I used ham that was left over from Christmas plus my choice of colorful and nutritious vegetables. I enjoyed the full serving of it while still hot, felt relieved in my stuffy nose, and comforted in my tummy.

How to make Chicken Macaroni Soup (Sopas)? It is fairly easy.  As I researched about the benefits of a hot soup, I learned that a good chicken soup can keep the white blood cells from travelling to the nose and throat to lessen the risk of congestion. The addition of the nutrients in the colorful vegetables plus the protein from chicken and warmth brought by the hot soup in the body - clears the pathways of the nose and activates the growth of infection fighting white blood cells. Food is good medicine indeed. I was in sweat as I took a spoonful and finished it. I had a good sleep after 3 days of being restless and constant coughing. I am ok now, thank God.

Here is how I made my own version of Chicken Macaroni Soup (Sopas).

Ingredients:

½ kilo boiled Chicken Thigh and Breast- flaked and deboned

½ kilo Purefoods Pear Shaped Ham – cut into cubes

500 mgs. Amigo Segurado Macaroni

1 Large can of Evaporated Milk

1 whole head of Cabbage

2 medium sized carrots, julienned

Full stalk of Celery and leaves, chopped

1 red onion, chopped finely

1 garlic head, mashed and chopped

4 whole boiled eggs

White pepper powder

Salt

Olive oil

Chicken Broth Cubes

Procedure:

Boil the chicken and set aside the broth. Allow to cool, debone and flake in bite size pieces.

Saute onion, garlic, sprinkle a little salt to make it sweat. Pour chicken broth and add flaked/deboned chicken pieces.

Add more water and bring to a boil. Pour the Amigo Segurado Macaroni. Cook for 15 minutes in low heat and stir constantly. Macaroni must reach al dente consistency.

Add the carrots, celery, cubed ham, and chicken broth cubes. Mix well.

Add the milk; keep stirring as you mix it. Allow to boil in low heat.

Put the freshly chopped cabbage and celery leaves. Season with salt and white pepper.  Boil for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Evenly mix the ingredients. 

Serve while hot.

Garnish the Chicken Sopas with sliced boiled eggs, ham, and chopped celery leaves.

A bowl full of goodness. :)