Ghanaian light soup is a thin, peppery tomato broth made with aromatics and tender chicken, commonly served with fufu or rice. This home-style version simmers whole tomatoes, onion and chile with seasoned chicken, then blends the softened vegetables back into the pot for a smooth, fragrant soup; heat and seasoning vary from cook to cook.
Ingredients
- 2½ lb (1.1 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks, cut into serving pieces
- 4 medium ripe tomatoes, about 1⅓ lb (600 g), left whole
- 2 medium yellow or red onions, about 10½ oz (300 g), peeled; leave one whole and finely chop the other
- 1½ in (4 cm) fresh ginger, about 1 oz (25 g), peeled and grated or finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, about ½ oz (12 g), peeled and minced
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, left whole for milder heat, or pierced once for more heat; about ½ oz (15 g)
- 1 small piece dried prekese (Aidan fruit), about ⅙ oz (5 g), optional
- 1 tsp fine salt (6 g), plus more to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper (1 g)
- 1 chicken bouillon cube, about ⅕ oz (4 g), optional
- 7 cups water (1.65 L), divided; keep 2 cups (475 ml) hot for adjusting the soup
Instructions
- Prepare and season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; do not rinse raw poultry, as splashing can spread germs around the sink. Put the chicken in a large, heavy pot with the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, salt, black pepper and bouillon cube, if using. Turn the pieces so they are coated with the seasonings. Wash your hands and any board or utensil that touched raw chicken before using them for other ingredients. The listed 25-minute prep time includes trimming and seasoning, with no separate marinating wait.
- Steam the chicken to start the broth. Set the pot over medium heat and cover it. Cook for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice so it releases its juices and takes on the aromatic seasoning. If the bottom looks dry or begins to catch, lower the heat and add a small splash of the measured water. The goal is gentle steaming, not browning; a hard sear is not needed for this soup.
- Simmer until the chicken is nearly tender. Add 5 cups (1.2 L) of the water and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook for 25 minutes. Stir once or twice, keeping the chicken mostly submerged. Add the whole tomatoes, the whole peeled onion, the chile and the optional piece of prekese. Simmer for another 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are very soft and beginning to split and the onion is tender. Keep the chile whole if you want the soup’s aroma without making it very hot.
- Blend the softened vegetables. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the tomatoes, whole onion and chile, along with the prekese if you added it. Discard the prekese. Put the vegetables in a blender with about 1 cup (240 ml) of broth from the pot. Let them cool briefly, vent the blender lid according to its instructions, and blend until smooth. Hot liquids expand when blended, so do not fill the jar more than halfway; blend in batches if needed. For a more rustic soup, mash the vegetables through a sieve instead. Return the blended mixture to the pot.
- Finish the soup gently. Stir well and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes so the blended tomato base cooks into the chicken broth. Add some or all of the reserved hot water, up to 2 cups (475 ml), until the soup is as light and pourable as you like. USDA FSIS gives 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry; check the thickest chicken piece with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone. If it has not reached that temperature, continue simmering and check again. Taste the broth and add salt as needed. The soup should be thin enough to ladle, with a savory tomato flavor and the level of chile heat you prefer.
- Settle and serve. Turn off the heat and let the pot stand for 2 minutes while you prepare the table. This brief pause is included in the total time. Give the soup a final stir, then ladle the chicken and broth into warm bowls. If the broth seems too rich or concentrated, stir in a little hot water; if it tastes diluted, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes before serving.
Tips
- Control the chile carefully. Scotch bonnet and habanero chiles vary greatly in heat. Keep the chile whole for a gentle, aromatic result, or pierce it for a hotter broth. For an especially mild pot, use half a chile and remove it before blending; wear gloves if you handle cut chiles and avoid touching your eyes.
- Use ripe tomatoes. Soft, fragrant tomatoes blend into a rounder broth. If yours are firm or out of season, simmer them until completely tender and allow a few extra minutes; avoid adding a large amount of tomato paste, which can make the soup taste heavier and less fresh.
- Keep the soup light, not watery. Start with the five cups of water, then add the reserved water gradually after blending. Chicken releases liquid as it cooks, and the finished thickness depends partly on how much broth evaporates from your pot.
- Make the seasoning work for you. Bouillon is optional and can be salty, so taste before adding extra salt at the end. Prekese is a traditional aromatic that may be hard to find; leave it out if unavailable. The soup will still be flavorful, though it will miss that faint, distinctive woody fragrance.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Ghanaian light soup hot, with fufu on the side or shaped into a mound in each bowl. Diners can pinch off a small piece of fufu, make a shallow pocket, and scoop up broth and chicken. The soup is also good with plain white rice, boiled yam, or boiled plantain, which provide a mild, filling contrast to its tomato and chile flavors.
Offer extra sliced chile or a small dish of ground pepper separately so each person can adjust the heat. If serving guests who prefer boneless meat, remove the chicken from the pot after cooking, carefully take out the bones, and return the meat to the broth. Keep the soup warm until the meal begins, rather than leaving it at room temperature.
Variations
Chicken is convenient and gives the soup a rounded broth, but light soup is made in many homes with different proteins and seasoning combinations. For a beef version, use bone-in beef pieces and simmer until tender; the cooking time will depend on the cut, so check both tenderness and the applicable safe temperature. For goat, allow a longer simmer than the chicken version, adding water as needed to keep the meat covered. Do not rely on the chicken timing for tougher cuts.
For a fish version, use firm fish pieces and add them near the end so they do not break apart during the longer simmer. Cook fish to 145°F (63°C), checked with a food thermometer. If you cannot find prekese, omit it rather than substituting a large quantity of another spice; the tomato, ginger, garlic and pepper still give the broth its familiar character. You can also make the soup hotter by blending a little of the cooked chile into the vegetables, but add it in small amounts and taste between additions.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover soup within 2 hours of cooking. Transfer it to shallow, covered containers so it cools promptly, and keep the chicken with enough broth to prevent it from drying out. Refrigerated, cooked chicken soup is best used within 3 to 4 days. If you expect to keep it longer, freeze it in meal-size portions for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The broth may separate slightly after thawing, but a good stir while reheating usually brings it back together.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in a microwave-safe covered container. Stir occasionally and heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer. Add a splash of water if the broth has thickened, and bring it to a gentle simmer rather than boiling hard, which can make the chicken fall apart. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the entire pot; return unused portions to the refrigerator promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called light soup?
“Light” describes the relatively thin, pourable broth, not a promise that the soup is low in calories. Tomatoes, onion, pepper and aromatics make a flavorful base that is looser than a thick stew, and it is often eaten with a starchy accompaniment such as fufu.
Can I make Ghanaian light soup without a blender?
Yes. Once the vegetables are soft, mash them thoroughly with a potato masher or press them through a sieve, then return them to the pot. The texture may be less silky, but it will still taste good. Remove the chile before mashing if you want to keep its heat low.
Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, but bone-in pieces usually give the broth more depth. Boneless thighs can be used in the same quantity by weight; begin checking them earlier because they may cook faster. Keep the thermometer check in place and take the chicken off the heat once it reaches 165°F (74°C).
How can I make the soup less spicy?
Leave the chile whole and unpierced, then remove it before blending. If the broth is already too hot, add some of the reserved hot water and a little more cooked tomato or onion if available. Adding water reduces the intensity, so taste and adjust salt afterward.
Why does my soup taste sour?
Tomato varieties differ in acidity, and underripe tomatoes can taste especially sharp. Simmer the soup a little longer to soften the flavor, then taste again. A small amount of additional onion can round out the broth; avoid correcting it with a lot of sugar, which changes the soup’s savory character.
Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes. Cook the soup fully, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Reheat the amount you need to 165°F (74°C) before serving. The flavors often settle as it rests in the refrigerator, and you can loosen the broth with a little water during reheating.
Related
- Ghanaian Chicken Recipe: Tomato-Pepper Stew
- Ghanaian Jollof Rice: A One-Pot Recipe
- Ghanaian Stew Recipe with Chicken and Tomatoes
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).