Chicken gizzard soup, known in Chile as “sopa de contre,” is a traditional dish made with the chicken’s muscular stomach. This cut stands out for its high protein content and low fat, and turns into a warming, restorative broth once slow-cooked with vegetables, potatoes, and noodles.
For a tender bite, it helps to pre-boil the gizzards in water with a splash of vinegar first, since the slow cooking process is what breaks down the muscle’s fibrous tissue.
How to Make Chicken Gizzard Soup?
Chicken gizzard soup is generally easy to find pre-packaged in stores and supermarkets, though it’s best sourced fresh from a trusted butcher for the most flavor.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of chicken gizzard soup contains approximately 320 kcal, 25 g of carbohydrates, 15 g of fat, 20 g of protein, 3 g of fiber, 3 g of sugars, 95 mg of cholesterol, and 780 mg of sodium. (*)
(*) Values may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Sopa de Contre de Pollo Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken gizzards
- 1 potato, diced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 carrot
- 1/2 onion
- 1/4 red bell pepper
- Soup noodles
- All-purpose seasoning blend
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and thinly slice all the vegetables, add them along with the diced potatoes to a medium pot with oil, stir in the finely chopped garlic, and saute for a couple of minutes; add the seasoning blend and mix well to combine.
- Add the chicken gizzards, season with salt and pepper, and stir. Add water to cover all the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat; continue cooking for about 25 more minutes.
- Add the noodles and cook for another 5 minutes until everything is fully cooked. Add more water if you want a brothier soup. Turn off the heat and let rest. Serve the chicken gizzard soup piping hot, ideally with fresh-baked pan amasado.
Additional Tips
Pre-Boil the Gizzards for a Tender Bite
Before adding them to the soup, boil the gizzards in water with a splash of vinegar for 5 minutes, then drain to remove impurities and improve the final texture.
Finish With Fresh Herbs
A few fresh parsley or cilantro leaves right as you turn off the heat brighten the flavor and add a fresh, aromatic touch that balances the richness of the broth.
Cook Low and Slow for Tenderness
The key to tender gizzards is prolonged cooking over medium heat for at least 25 minutes. Pre-boiling in vinegar water speeds this up by breaking down the fibrous tissue ahead of time.
| Substitution | Use instead of | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Angel hair or small pasta shapes | Standard soup noodles | Cooks faster, absorbs broth flavor well |
| Chicken thighs | Chicken gizzards | Milder flavor, softer texture |
| Less water, longer simmer | Standard broth amount | Stronger, more concentrated broth |
| Fresh parsley or cilantro | No garnish | Fresher, brighter finish |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why does the gizzard need such a long cooking time?
It needs prolonged cooking, about 25 minutes, because it’s a muscle with dense fibrous tissue. Slow cooking softens that tissue, turning it tender and easy to eat.
2. What type of soup noodles work best?
Short noodles like angel hair or small pasta shapes are recommended for soups, since they cook quickly (about 5 minutes) and absorb the concentrated broth flavor well.
3. How do I get a richer, more concentrated broth?
For a more intense flavor, use less water at the start and extend the simmer time (from step 2 onward) so the liquid reduces and the flavor of the gizzards and vegetables concentrates further.
4. What exactly is chicken gizzard?
The gizzard is the bird’s muscular stomach, sometimes called “riquet” in Chile. It’s a heavily muscled organ that grinds the bird’s food. Low in fat and high in protein, with an intense flavor, it’s a common ingredient in Chilean soups and stews.
What Is Sopa de Contre?
Sopa de contre is a Chilean chicken gizzard soup, built on the bird’s muscular stomach simmered slowly with vegetables, potatoes, and noodles into a warming, protein-rich broth.
Benefits of Eating Chicken Gizzards
Chicken gizzards are very low in fat, under 10% of the recommended daily intake, though their cholesterol content is fairly high at 370 milligrams, a bit above what’s recommended for a single day.
Did You Know?
The gizzard is the bird’s muscular stomach, used to grind and soften grains through mechanical pressure, where food arrives already mixed with digestive juices.
