Sopa Seca

This is a dish that I have fallen in love with. It's perfect - the spices, the chicken, the noodles, the cheese..... just perfect. All the flavors marry together just right. It has just the right amount of Mexican flavor but it's not at all spicy. And everyone in our family loved it - kids included.

It's Sopa Seca - a Mexican noodle casserole. Now before you make that "eww, casserole" face, let me tell you it's not your mama's casserole (unless your mom is Mexican).

You can find all the ingredients in a regular grocery store and this recipe makes a very large amount of food, so prepare accordingly. It reheats nicely, so leftovers are very possible.

Sopa Seca

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for pan
12 ounces fideos (Mexican vermicelli)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade, or low-sodium canned
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use a roast chicken.)
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Mexican crema, or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk, optional

Preheat oven to 375F.

Brush a large casserole dish with oil. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideos and cook, turning them, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted noodles to a bowl. Set aside

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes to the pot. Add the cayenne pepper, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, salt, and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. Water can be added to thin the mixture if needed while the noodles cook. When the noodles are tender, stir in the chicken.

Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top.

Enjoy!