Chef Margarida
Açorda de Bacalhau
Two Portuguese icons meet in one humble bowl: the bread soup of Alentejo embracing flakes of salt cod. Peasant genius that proves scarcity breeds invention, that pão and bacalhau together can feed the soul.
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Canja de Galinha
Created by
The soup that heals everything, from broken hearts to winter colds. Golden broth, falling-apart chicken, rice that drinks the goodness, and fresh mint because this is how Portuguese grandmothers have always done it.
Soups & Stews
Portuguese
Comfort Food
Make Ahead
20 min
Active Time
1 hr 30 min cook•1 hr 50 min total
Yield6 servings
When I was small and came down with a cold, Avó Leonor didn't reach for medicine. She reached for her biggest pot. Within an hour, the house would smell of chicken and bay leaves, and I'd be sitting up in bed with a bowl of canja in my hands. This is the soup that heals.
Every Portuguese person knows canja. It's the first solid food we give babies. It's what we make when someone is sick, heartbroken, or just needs to feel held. The broth should be golden, almost amber, from slow cooking. The chicken should fall apart at the touch of a spoon. The rice should be soft, having drunk all that goodness, but not dissolved into mush.
And then there's the mint. Hortelã. This is what separates canja from every other chicken soup in the world. That bright, green, slightly sweet note cutting through the richness. Some families add it to the pot. Avó Leonor always scattered it fresh on top, so the heat would release its perfume but the leaves would stay vibrant. I do the same.
At Mesa da Avó, I've served canja to people who thought they didn't like chicken soup. They'd had the watery, tasteless versions. They'd never had the real thing. One spoonful of proper canja and everything changes. This isn't just soup. This is a grandmother's love in a bowl.
The word 'canja' likely arrived in Portugal via the spice trade routes, derived from the Malay or Cantonese words for rice porridge. Portuguese sailors and merchants encountered congee across Asia and brought the concept home, where it merged with European chicken broths. By the 16th century, canja was established as Portugal's quintessential restorative soup, prescribed by physicians and grandmothers alike.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
whole chicken or bone-in pieces
Quantity
1 whole (about 1.5 kg) or 1 kg pieces
cold water
Quantity
2.5 liters
onion
Quantity
1 medium
peeled and halved
carrots
Quantity
2 medium
peeled, left whole
celery stalks
Quantity
2
with leaves
garlic cloves
Quantity
3
smashed
bay leaves
Quantity
2
black peppercorns
Quantity
4 whole
coarse sea salt
Quantity
1 tablespoon, plus more to taste
short-grain rice
Quantity
150g
fresh mint (hortelã)
Quantity
1 large bunch
leaves picked
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
for drizzling
lemon (optional)
Quantity
1
cut into wedges
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| whole chicken or bone-in pieces | 1 whole (about 1.5 kg) or 1 kg pieces |
| cold water | 2.5 liters |
| onionpeeled and halved | 1 medium |
| carrotspeeled, left whole | 2 medium |
| celery stalkswith leaves | 2 |
| garlic clovessmashed | 3 |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| black peppercorns | 4 whole |
| coarse sea salt | 1 tablespoon, plus more to taste |
| short-grain rice | 150g |
| fresh mint (hortelã)leaves picked | 1 large bunch |
| extra virgin olive oil | for drizzling |
| lemon (optional)cut into wedges | 1 |
Equipment Needed
- •Large heavy-bottomed pot, at least 6 liters
- •Slotted spoon for skimming
- •Deep serving bowls
Instructions
- 1
Start with cold water
Place the chicken in your largest pot. Add the cold water. This is important: cold water extracts more flavor and gelatin from the bones than starting with hot. The water should cover the chicken by about 5 centimeters. If it doesn't, add more.
Avó Leonor always said: 'A canja começa fria.' The canja starts cold. Hot water seals the surface and keeps the goodness trapped inside the meat instead of releasing it into the broth. - 2
Bring to a gentle simmer
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring slowly to a simmer. As it heats, a grayish foam will rise to the surface. Skim this off with a spoon and discard. Don't skip this step. This foam is impurities, and leaving it makes the broth cloudy and muddy-tasting. Keep skimming until the liquid runs clear.
- 3
Add the aromatics
Once the broth is clear, add the onion halves, whole carrots, celery, smashed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Reduce the heat to low. The surface should barely tremble, with a lazy bubble rising every few seconds. This is not a boil. Boiling makes the chicken tough and the broth greasy.
- 4
Simmer until the chicken surrenders
Let the canja simmer gently, uncovered, for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the chicken leg pulls away from the body with almost no resistance, and the broth has turned a deep golden color. The kitchen will smell like comfort itself.
If using a smaller chicken or pieces, check at 45 minutes. The meat should be falling off the bone but not disintegrated. - 5
Remove and shred the chicken
Carefully lift the chicken from the broth and set it on a cutting board. Remove and discard the vegetables (they've given everything to the broth). Let the chicken cool just enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces with your fingers or two forks. Don't make it too fine. You want to know you're eating chicken.
- 6
Cook the rice in the broth
Return the broth to a simmer. Taste and adjust the salt. Add the rice directly to the broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and has absorbed some of the liquid, about 15 to 18 minutes. The canja should be brothy but substantial. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of hot water.
- 7
Finish and serve
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and warm through for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each portion has plenty of chicken and rice. Scatter fresh mint leaves generously over each bowl. Drizzle with your best olive oil. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for those who want a bright squeeze of acidity.
The mint goes on at the end, never cooked into the soup. The heat releases the oils, but the leaves stay fresh and fragrant. This is the way.
Chef Tips
- •Use a whole chicken if you can. The carcass, the bones, the collagen: this is where the magic lives. Boneless breasts will feed you, but they won't heal you.
- •The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. If you're making this ahead or have leftovers, add hot water or chicken broth when reheating to restore the consistency.
- •Some families add a cinnamon stick to the broth. Avó Leonor thought this was madness, but I've met grandmothers in Trás-os-Montes who swear by it. Taste is regional. Taste is personal.
- •If you can find a free-range or farm chicken, use it. The flavor difference is enormous. Industrial chicken makes pale, weak canja. A chicken that lived a real life makes broth worth healing over.
Advance Preparation
- •The broth can be made a day ahead. Cool and refrigerate with the chicken still in large pieces. The fat will solidify on top and can be easily removed. Reheat gently, shred the chicken, add rice, and proceed.
- •Canja is best fresh but keeps well for 2 to 3 days refrigerated. The rice will absorb liquid over time, so thin with water or broth when reheating.
- •Do not add the mint until serving. It should always be fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 400g)
Calories
325 calories
Total Fat
12 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
75 mg
Sodium
1170 mg
Total Carbohydrates
25 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
25 g
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