Canja,” is a traditional Portuguese chicken and rice soup.
Chicken soup was likely brought from China by the Portuguese because of its comforting and medicinal properties. Another version, by Garcia da Orta, suggests it was brought from the port of Calicut, in India, where Vasco da Gama landed in 1492. It was called ‘kenji’ (or ‘kenge’), a Malayalam word that referred to a hot and salty broth, to which the Portuguese added chicken. Due to Portuguese influence, chicken soup is also consumed in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking countries and regions.
Canja is often considered a healing and comforting soup, especially during colder months or when someone is feeling under the weather. And in Portugal it’s the first thing every Mother will tell you to eat if you are sick or have an upset stomach.
Chicken soup has been a go-to for sickness for generations — and for good reason. It’s an easy-to-eat source of vitamins, minerals, calories, and protein, which are nutrients your body may need in larger quantities while you’re recovering from an illness. This is because chicken is an excellent source of the amino acid cysteine, which has been shown to help thin mucus and help you manage cold and flu symptoms. The broth that serves as the base of chicken soup can also provide fluids and electrolytes that help the body fight off infections
Chicken soup is normally associated with comfort because the body uses tryptophan from chicken to make melatonin—which can help you rest—and serotonin, the chemical that signals your nerves and makes you feel happy and at ease. Both of these are reasons chicken soup is associated with comfort food, because you literally feel a physiological sense of comfort.
I know I love Canja and do it often!
Ingredients:
| Ingredients |
Units |
Grams |
Ounces |
Pounds |
Teaspoons |
Tablespoon |
Cups |
| Chicken |
1 cut in pieces |
1500 |
52.91 |
3.31 |
263.6 |
106 |
6.3 |
| Rice/ Pasta |
|
250 |
8.82 |
0.55 |
43.9 |
18 |
1.0 |
| Onion |
1 sliced |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Stock cube |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sat |
To taste |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mint |
To garnish |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Instructions:
In a large pot, add the chicken pieces, the chicken stock cube, the optional sliced onion and salt to taste.
Add enough water to cover the whole chicken and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. (Or on a pressure cooker, cook for 40 minutes.)
Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pot. Allow it to cool slightly, then shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones and skin.
Strain the broth to remove any solids, leaving a clear and flavorful chicken broth in the pot.
Bring the strained broth back to a simmer. Add the white rice (or small pasta) to the pot and cook until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir and allow it to simmer for a few more minutes until everything is heated through.
Taste the Chicken Soup or Canja and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed.
Ladle the Canja into bowls. Garnish with fresh mint and enjoy this comforting and nourishing Chicken Soup or Canja, a classic Portuguese chicken and rice soup!
