Thread by @rumpfshaker

Made my “Mex-O Ball Soup” for #CincoDeMayo. Described it to a friend earlier as “what would happen if #chickentortillasoup & #matzoballsoup had a wild love affair.” Just perfectly spicy. #happycincodemayo 😀🥣

Getting requests for the recipe. Warning: it’s a process that takes a few days. Yes, days. There isn’t a formal recipe because I make bits of it as I go along & it’s slightly different every time but always good...and pretty good for you. Lots of good nutrients in broth.

1) Get some chicken. Maybe you roast one for dinner. Maybe you buy a rotisserie chicken. (This broth was made from @Publix rotisserie chickens) Either way, get a chicken, eat it, & save all the bones & bits of carcass.

2) Get some veggies. Whatever you want. I usually throw in onions & garlic at least. Celery, herbs, carrots, whatever. I keep ziploc bags in my freezer to collect chicken & veggie scraps to turn into soup later.

3) Get a large crock pot. Throw in the chicken carcass, veggies, a capful or so of apple cider vinegar. Whatever herbs you want for seasoning. I usually toss in whole peppercorns, bay leaves etc. Pour in cold filtered water, add cover, turn on low & leave it for a day or two.

4) Letting it simmer so long makes a very rich hearty broth full of nutrients & flavor. It’s going to spoil that watery store-bought crap for you. When it’s done, it will be as dark as Coca-Cola. To finish, turn off & let cool a bit.

5) Pour into a large pot & cover. Put in fridge. When cool, skim the fat off the top. Ok! Now you have awesome broth. Great for many soup bases.

6) Make matzo balls. I have a friend’s family recipe & I don’t know if it’s ok to share it publicly (especially since I’m definitely not keeping kosher w/my recipes) but seriously, there are decent instructions on the box.

7) While the matzo balls are going, make salsa. Again, I don’t have a precise recipe here but it’s generally chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, tomatillos (if I can find decent ones), cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice, freshly ground salt & pepper.

7)a) FYI this salsa is the same base I use for guacamole. If you’re a recipe planner, maybe roast a chicken for Monday, start the broth that night, make a giant batch of salsa & guacamole for chicken tacos Tuesday, and then soup for Wednesday.

8) OK! Back to the soup. You need more chicken. You could bake some. Another option is to cook it in the soup broth. Google that, it’s easy. Or just grab another @Publix rotisserie chicken (what I did for this). Tear chicken into bite size chunks.

9) Pour broth into large soup pot. Bring to a boil & then turn down heat to maintain a low boil. Add the salsa. Let simmer a few minutes. Add the chicken & matzo balls (careful not to splash! I get a large spoon & lower them in).

10) Serve immediately. Top w/avocado, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, whatever you want. Enjoy! This soup freezes well too.

5)a) should say pour through a strainer into the pot. You’ll need to get all the bones & stuff out of the broth.

5)a) should say pour through a strainer into the pot. You’ll need to get all the bones & stuff out of the broth.