Culinary SOS: Moroccan chicken soup from Cayenne

Dear SOS: The Moroccan chicken soup at Cayenne Restaurant on Beverly Boulevard is absolutely delicious and unlike any other chicken soup I’ve ever had. It is so good that I find it takes great effort for me to order anything else from the menu. Can you get the recipe?

Melinda Siegel

Los Angeles

Dear Melinda: Cayenne was happy to share its recipe for this delicately spiced soup, which we’ve adapted below.

Cayenne’s Moroccan chicken soup

Total time: 45 minutes

Servings: 6

Note: Adapted from a recipe by executive chef Noura Elnasser of Cayenne. Cracked wheat can be found at select cooking and health food stores, as well as online.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 cooked boneless and skinless chicken breast, diced (about 2 cups)

1 cup cooked garbanzo beans

1/3 cup diced tomato

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup cracked wheat No. 1 (fine grind)

4 to 5 cups chicken broth, more if desired

1. Add the oil to a large pot heated over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in the onion and sauté until softened and starting to color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic.

2. Stir in the carrots, celery, chicken, garbanzo beans, tomato, bay leaves, basil, curry powder and cinnamon. Season with one-half teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir for a few minutes to warm the vegetables.

3. Stir in the cracked wheat and 4 cups broth, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, loosely covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired; we added an additional three-fourths teaspoon salt (seasoning will vary depending on the chicken broth used and personal taste). The soup may be a bit thick; add more broth to thin if desired. This makes about 1½ quarts soup.

Each serving: 148 calories; 11 grams protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 18 mg cholesterol; 3 grams sugar; 1,186 mg sodium.

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