Try this creamy chicken sopas recipe to make chicken macaroni soup, Filipino-style! Packed with vegetables, chicken and macaroni, it fills you up and keeps you warm on a cold winter day.
(Looking for another comfort food to keep the winter blues away? Try this Champorado Recipe or Filipino Chocolate Rice Porridge. It’s a great excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast too!)
It’s sunny at the moment; it actually looks like a nice warm day. But it’s not. It’s currently -19C/-2F and my trusty weather app says to expect heavy snow for another 109 minutes (how are they predicting that?!).
Winter is in full swing and I’ve accepted that (finally). My winter boots are always at the ready and my space heater and I have developed a very co-dependent relationship – it goes where I go lol.
So today I have a very special soup recipe for you. It’s not just any soup (or sopas, the Tagalog word for soup). It’s chicken sopas, chicken macaroni soup Filipino style.
It’s hot and humid in the Philippines (ahhh humidex) but we love our sopas. Creamy, filling and made with simple ingredients, it’s comfort food at its best.
Filipino sopas variations
When Red and I are recreating dishes from home, we always argue about ingredients and the right way to cook it. Different families have different versions and that’s true for our families too.
For example, I remember my mom’s chicken sopas having corn kernels in it. Red thinks it’s weird. They put hotdogs instead. Which I think is just bizarre (though admittedly, Filipinos love putting hotdogs in things, like in our beloved Filipino spaghetti!).
(Looking for another unique take on chicken soup? Try this instant pot Mexican street corn chicken soup!)
Ingredients
So this is our very own version – not exactly the same as the ones our moms make but just as delicious. You can add your favourite ingredients too and make it your own.
The ingredients for our chicken sopas recipe are simple and you probably already have them in your pantry, like:
- Boneless chicken breast
- Onions and garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Dried oregano
- Chicken broth
- Carrots, bell pepper, celery and cabbage
You may need to buy evaporated milk
and elbow macaroni
but you can find them in just about any grocery store or supermarket.
Cooking tools
You don’t need any special tools to make this sopas recipe either. Just your favourite knife
and chopping board
to prep the veggies and your favourite (large) pot to cook the chicken macaroni soup in.
Of course, plus points if you have a food processor
or a mandolin
as they make food prep quicker and that much more convenient.
Tips for cooking Filipino chicken macaroni soup
One thing you might notice while cooking sopas is how the macaroni somehow always manages to suck up almost all the liquid.
No matter how much broth you put in, in a matter of hours, your sopas would end up looking like mushy macaroni salad with massive pieces of macaroni.
I frankly I have no nice, scientific explanation but fear not – once you heat it up the macaroni releases some of that liquid and you get nice, lovely soup again.
Chicken sopas is perfect for winter or any season
So if it’s winter where you are, why not shake things up and try chicken sopas? It’s great for lunch or dinner, for when you’re nursing a cold, or simply when you’re craving something warm to drive those winter blues away.
Not winter? Hope you try it anyway. It’s delicious!
More delicious Filipino recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious Filipino recipes to try, you can start with this easy and refreshing young coconut (buko) salad with apples.
Pancit canton is a hit at every party so this delicious recipe is definitely a keeper.
Just looking for something quick, simple and easy? Cannot get any simpler than Filipino hot chocolate.
Also try this easy chicken tocino recipe from The Cooking Frog. It’s delicious and so simple to make!
Chicken Sopas Recipe (Chicken Macaroni Soup Filipino Style)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.4 lbs boneless chicken breast
- 1 pc sweet onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 2 pcs carrots diced
- 1 pc bell pepper seeded and diced
- ½ pc cabbage shredded
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- boiled egg to serve
- sliced green onions to serve
Instructions
- Using a large pot on medium high heat, add chicken breast in about 4 cups of boiling water. Season with salt. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from heat and allow to cool before shredding (we use 2 forks) and set aside. Keep the chicken stock for use later.
- In another large pot on medium high heat, sauté 1 onion and 6 cloves of garlic in oil until soft (about 2 minutes). Add your shredded chicken, stir, and cook for another 3 minutes or so (you want the chicken to brown a little).
- Add 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp dried oregano and ½ tsp black pepper. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Pour 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil (about 10 minutes).
- Then add the rest of the ingredients (except the cabbage and the milk). Stir to combine and bring to a boil again until the macaroni is close to al dente (about 8 minutes).
- Stir in the cabbage and the milk. Bring down to a simmer until cabbage is cooked (10-12 minutes). Serve immediately. Top with boiled egg and green onions (optional).
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Happy cooking!
Did you make this chicken sopas recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
Alok Rana
Well, this looks delicious. And I like the way you presented it and the ingredient list. Thanks for the share I would try it at home.
Vyom
Food is all I got on my mind right now. Cant wait to make this yummy and healthy recipe.
Danielle
This looks delicious! I love trying different variations off chicken noodle soup, I’ll have to bookmark this!
Stephanie
I’ve made a homemade chicken noodle soup as well, but never put in either corn or hot dogs! I also never tried it with cabbage or a hard boiled egg either. I do love hard boiled eggs, though, so I may have to give that a try next time.
Marjie Mare
That’s the perfect recipe for this weather. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Angela Tolsma
Winter has also really come to Wisconsin this week. I am glad to know it’s not here to stay though. This sounds like a delicious soup and perfect for cold snowy days.
Belle
Looks really creamy and delicious. This would be perfect this cold winter season. Chicken soup is always a winner in my family.
Narkis
Thank you for the recipe! It reminds me of a greek lemon chicken noodle soup that I love, but even more perfect for winter! I can’t wait to make it! 🙂
I have to agree with you about the hotdogs tho – It does sound bizarre! lol. It looks perfect just the way you made it 🙂
Jolina
Haha glad it’s not just me that thinks it’s weird 🙂 Greek lemon chicken soup sounds amazing BTW!
David Elliott
I think this is a version of chicken noodle soup I could really get into. My daughter and I really love the creamy soups and I think this would be a perfect thing to try out.
Dawn
Yum! Never heard of this before, but it looks really good! I think I prefer your version with corn and not hotdogs, lol. Whether it’s warm-ish or cold out, I could definitely see myself curling up with a huge bowl of this….maybe with a dash of vinegar. I know, I know….just love it in soups. Stay warm and have a wonderful weekend, Jolina!
Jolina
Hotdogs are just weird right?? LOL! And yeah, we have this in the summer too. Vinegar. I’m intrigued. Will have to try that next time. Stay warm too! Winter is over…almost…maybe!
Rosey
I like that it’s so chock full of goodies. This sounds like a hearty, delicious soup indeed.
Maria
I recently made chicken and rice , I can take a classic dish and do macaroni instead. Can’t wAit to try this recipe.
Jolina
Yum! Chicken and rice sound delicious Maria!
Michele Dennis
This sounds so delicious! I love a nice, hot, comforting bowl of soup and this one looks amazing. Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
Alessandra Lim
That soup reminds me of something similar that my grandmother made. It does sound delicious! I know there are a lot of ingredients but that could be the reason why it is going to tase yummy . Comfort food at its finest.
Laura Dove
Oh that looks utterly delicious!! I love chicken soup, especially at this time of year when we are all unwell!
Jolina
Aw hope you guys feel better soon!