Jamaican Chicken Soup

Jamaican Chicken Soup – My Family’s Magic Comfort Bowl
There are certain dishes that carry not just flavor, but memories, comfort, and love. For me, Jamaican Chicken Soup is one of those meals.

Growing up in Jamaica, soup on a Saturday was more than just food—it was a tradition. Saturday mornings meant heading to the market early with my mom, returning home to a day of cleaning, and the familiar smell of a big pot of soup bubbling away in the kitchen. Even though it was hot outside, nothing stopped us from sitting down with steaming bowls of soup loaded with yam, green plantain, corn, and dumplings. It was hearty, flavorful, and always filling. 

When my children were young, this became my “magic soup” whenever they were coming down with a cold or flu. They would sip it slowly, and it always seemed to make them feel better. Now that they’re grown, they still look forward to a bowl of my chicken soup whenever they’re not feeling well. My son Jordan’s girlfriend tried it for the first time once and was so surprised at how flavorful and filling it was. Ever since then, whenever she’s under the weather, she asks Jordan if I could make her a bowl of my soup. That’s the power of this dish—it warms, heals, and comforts all at once.

Jamaican Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken & Base

• 1 ½  to 2 lbs chicken (bone-in pieces: thighs, legs, or back, cleaned and skin trimmed)
• 1 tbsp lime juice (for cleaning chicken)
  
  
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  
  
• ½ tsp black pepper
  
  
• 2 tbsp organic chicken base
  
  
• 1 tsp onion powder
  
  
• 4–6 pimento seeds
  
  
• 8 cups water
  
  
• ½–1 tsp turmeric powder
  
  

Vegetables & Provisions

• 1 medium yellow or white yam (peeled and cut into chunks)
  
  
• 1 medium potato (peeled, diced)
  
  
• 1 medium carrot (sliced)
  
  
• 1 cup diced pumpkin
  
  
• 1 piece chocho (chayote), peeled and cut into chunks (optional but traditional)
  
  
• 2 corn on the cob, cut into 3 pieces each
  
  
• 1 green plantain (peeled and cut into chunks)
  
  
• 2 scallions (green onions)
  
  
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  
  
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
  
  
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (whole, do not cut unless you want it extra spicy)
  
  

Dumplings (Spinners & Round)

• 2 cups flour
  
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
  
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Prepare chicken: Wash chicken with lime juice and rinse.
   
   
2. Make the base: In a large soup pot, bring water (or stock) to a boil. Add chicken, salt, black pepper, garlic, thyme, scallion, pumpkin, carrot, and organic chicken base mixture (without noodles). Cook for 20 minutes on medium-high heat.
   
   
3. Add ground provisions: Stir in yam, potato, chocho, plantain, and corn. Cook until tender (about 20 minutes).
   
   
4. Make dumplings: Mix flour, salt, and water to form a stiff dough. Pinch off small pieces, rolling some into “spinners” (long, thin dumplings). For larger dumplings, form small flattened rounds. Drop them into the pot.
   
   
5. Flavor & finish: Add Scotch bonnet pepper whole (leave intact for mild heat or burst for extra spice) and noodles.  Simmer another 15–20 minutes until the soup thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
   
   
6. Serve hot: Ladle into bowls and enjoy this hearty comfort soup.
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Tips & Variations

• For an even richer soup, add more pumpkin—this gives a golden color and sweet flavor.
  
  
• Many Jamaicans use Cock Soup Mix as a shortcut. If you can’t find it, use chicken noodle soup mix plus herbs, or make my preferred blend: 2 tbsp organic chicken base, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp onion powder, and 6 pimento seeds.
  
  
• During the last 15 minutes of cooking, you can add a handful of short angel hair pasta noodles for extra body.
  
  
• Have fun with it! You can add your favorite provisions or vegetables. I love adding celery if I have it on hand, or even cauliflower, zucchini, sweet potato, or squash for a different twist.
  
  

Chicken Foot Option: One of my favorites is adding chicken foot. If you do, cook it for about 30 minutes first before adding the other provisions so it becomes tender and releases its flavor into the soup.
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