--- title: "Chilean Chicken Gizzard Soup — Homemade Sopa de Contre de Pollo" description: "Versión en Español. 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 f..." url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-chicken-gizzard-soup-sopa-de-contre-recipe/ date: 2026-09-21 modified: 2026-09-21 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-chicken-gizzard-soup-sopa-de-contre.jpg categories: ["Soups"] type: post lang: en --- # Chilean Chicken Gizzard Soup — Homemade Sopa de Contre de Pollo [Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-sopa-de-contre-de-pollo/) ![Chilean chicken gizzard soup with vegetables and noodles, served in a bowl.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-chicken-gizzard-soup-sopa-de-contre.jpg)*Chilean chicken gizzard soup* 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 1. 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. ![Raw chicken gizzards, ready to be cooked into the soup.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/raw-chicken-gizzards-soup.jpg)*Raw chicken gizzards* 1. 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. ![Peeled, diced potatoes, part of the vegetables in the soup.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/diced-potatoes-chicken-gizzard-soup.jpg)*Diced potatoes* 1. 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. ## Recommended - [Chilean Bread Soup](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-bread-soup-recipe-or-poor-mans-soup/) - [Chilean Menestron](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-menestron-vegetable-bean-soup-recipe/) - [Chilean Vega Mud Shrimp Chowder](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-vega-mud-shrimp-chowder-caldillo-recipe/) - [Chilean Pig’s Feet Broth](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-caldo-de-patas-de-cerdo-pigs-feet-broth-recipe/)