A rich blend of flavors, textures and aromas, chicken harissa soup with figs will become a new favorite. High fiber, low in fat and loaded with vitamin A. Here’s how to make a fig soup that’s got just enough spice to warm you up from the inside out.
How to Make Chicken Harissa Soup
Start by browning the chicken in batches. Set the chicken aside. Saute the butternut squash and onion until softened. Then, add the garlic, cooking it until fragrant and stirring constantly so as not to burn it.
Next, add the chicken stock, pumpkin puree, harissa, salt, and the browned chicken with its juices. You’ll bring the soup to boil, reducing the heat to simmer, cooking until the squash is tender and chicken is fully cooked. Add the figs, cooking them until softened. Season the soup to taste, adjusting the harissa to the right spice level for you.
Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice California Golden Figs add subtle sweetness and nuttiness. Mission Figs bring more of a robust flavor to the soup.
Pumpkin puree adds body to the broth as the butternut squash chunks bring nutrition and tender bites that are just a little sweet.
Soup Serving Tips
Garnish the soup with lemon wedges. This adds brightness and amplifies the flavor.
Chicken harissa soup is especially good the day after making it, as you’ll find the fig soup flavors have time to gel.
We like to serve the soup with crackers, crusty bread or cornmeal muffins.
Harissa-Spiced Golden California Fig and Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil or avocado oil divided
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders, chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 1/2 cups peeled deseeded, and small cubed butternut squash (about 1/2-inch cubes)
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 3 medium cloves garlic crushed or minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree see Note
- 2 tablespoons harissa spice blend (or paste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken pieces in an even layer and cook until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned chicken to a bowl and set aside. Brown the remaining chicken the same way and remove it from the pot.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the squash and onion to the pot. Cover and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken stock, pumpkin puree, harissa, salt, and browned chicken along with any juices that have accumulated. Bring the soup up to a boil, and then cover the pot, turn the heat down to simmer, and cook until the squash is tender and the chicken is fully cooked, about 20 minutes, adding the figs after 10 minutes.
- Taste and add more salt and/or harissa paste as desired. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze on top, or let the flavors marry overnight and reheat to serve the next day when it’s even better.
