2 large chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 pounds mixed potatoes (red, Yukon Gold, and russets), peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
2-3 ears fresh corn, cut crosswise into quarters, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 bunch cilantro, with stems, washed very well and tied with twine
1 bunch green onions, washed and tied with twine
2 tablespoons dried guascas
Toppings:
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Mexican crema, sour cream or crème fraîche
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic dish. Top with the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours. Heat the olive oil in a heavy 4-quart lidded pot, like the La Chamba cookware pot or a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken with its marinating bits and brown each side, about 6 minutes total. Pour in the stock and raise the heat to high. When the mixture boils, lower the heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter, reserving the cooking liquid in the pot. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Cut or tear the chicken breasts into bite-size strips and discard the bones. Place the potatoes in the pot with the leftover cooking liquid and set over medium heat. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the corn, the bunch of scallions, the bunch of cilantro, and the guascas. Simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but not overcooked. Remove the cilantro and scallions and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer another few minutes until the chicken is warmed through. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and place the toppings on the table to be passed around.
Serves 6-8.
