Canja de Galinha is a Portuguese soup made with chicken broth, shredded chicken, onions, carrots, mint, and small pasta or pastina. It’s delicious and comforting, and a popular dish to have if you are going down with a cold or not feeling very well. To me it’s a dish I have on rotation during autumn and winter, it’s easy to prepare and a family favourite! Continue to read to learn how to make this Portuguese Chicken and Mint Soup!
The Origins of Canja de Galinha
It’s believed the Portuguese canja originated from congee, a rice porridge found in the cuisines of many Asian countries. There are several different recipes of congee across Asia, but usually the rice is slow cooked in water or broth until it breaks down into a porridge like consistency. It can be consumed either plain or topped with different veg, meats, seafood, fish, and even eggs.
It’s uncertain exactly how the concept was introduced to the Portuguese. The earliest account of congee dates back to the 16th century in the book ‘Colóquio dos Simples e Drogas e Coisas Medicinais da Índia’ written by the Goan based Portuguese physician called Garcia da Orta. He referenced a Goan dish made with water, rice, that was seasoned with local spices. According to Da Orta, the dish was used in the treatment of cholera.
The Portuguese Congee – Canja de Galinha
In Portugal, the Asian congee was adapted, gaining the addition of chicken (galinha), and later, pasta. However, in some of the former colonies, such as Brazil, it’s still prepared with rice. Although differently from congee, the rice isn’t ‘overcooked’, retaining its shape. Over time the dish became quite different from its predecessor, but it managed to retain its cultural purpose and is still prepared for those in recovery.
Either for its claimed healing properties or for simply for being a comforting dish. It’s highly appreciated by Portuguese families across the country on a cold night or during festive dates such as Christmas Eve.
Canja de Galinha – The Recipe
To make an authentic Portuguese Canja you’ll need a whole chicken broken down, carrots, onions, celery stalks, garlic, bay leaf, fresh mint, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, small pasta, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
We start by preparing the chicken stock which works as the base of our chicken soup. Add your chicken, roughly chopped carrots, onions, and celery, the whole garlic cloves, a bay leaf, your fresh herbs, and whole black peppercorns to a large stock pot. Cover with boiling water, and let it simmer for about 1 hour, skimming the surface of the broth every now and then.
We then take the cooked chicken out and strain the broth. While the chicken cools down, dice the remaining onions and carrots, and mince the remaining garlic. Give the stock pot a little rinse, then place it over medium heat.
Add in the olive oil, and the diced onions, let it cook stirring every so often for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Make a well in the middle, add in the minced garlic and a little more olive oil, cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the carrots, sautée for another 3 minutes then pour in your homemade chicken stock. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender.
Shred the chicken discarding the skin and bones, add it to the soup pot. Top it with a splash more boiling water, then season with salt. Add in the small pasta and fresh mint, cook as per packaging instruction or until the pasta is al dente. Serve with a little more fresh mint and a scrunch of black pepper. Enjoy!
How to Make Portuguese Chicken and Mint Soup
Canja de Galinha – How to Make Portuguese Chicken and Mint Soup
8
servings15
minutes1
hour30
minutes355
kcalCanja de Galinha is a delicious Portuguese soup made with chicken broth, shredded chicken, onions, carrots, mint, and small pasta or pastina.
Ingredients
1 Small Chicken (1.4kg), cut into 8 pieces
250 g Small Pasta
4 Medium Onions
5 Medium Carrots
2 Celery Stalks
8 Garlic Cloves
4 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1/3 Bunch Fresh Parsley
1/3 cup Fresh Mint Leaves, plus extra to serve
10 Black Peppercorns
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to serve
Directions
- Start by roughly chopping 2 onions, 2 carrots, and the 2 celery stalks. Add it to a large stock pot alongside the chicken, 3 whole garlic cloves, a bay leaf, fresh parsley, a couple of fresh thyme sprigs, and the whole peppercorns. Cover with boiling water and simmer for 1 hour, skimming the surface occasionally.
- Remove the cooked chicken and strain the broth. Set the chicken aside to cool.
- Dice the remaining 2 onions and 3 carrots, and mince the remaining 5 garlic cloves. Give the stock pot a quick rinse and return it to the stove over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and diced onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
- Make a well in the centre of the onions and add the minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the carrots and sauté for another 3 minutes.
- Pour in the homemade chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are fork-tender.
- Remove the skin and bones from the cooled chicken and shred the meat. Add it to the soup, along with a splash of boiling water. Season with salt to taste.
- Add the small pasta and fresh mint. Cook according to the packet instructions, or until the pasta is al dente.
- Serve into bowls and finish with a little fresh mint and a scrunch of black pepper.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Once cooked it can be stored in the fridge for about 4 days.
- To prevent the pasta from going soggy, you can portion the stock with the chicken and use it to cook the pasta fresh on the day.
- The whole chicken can be replaced with chicken breasts for a more convenient recipe.
Have you tried my recipe? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you!