Canja is the mother of Cape Verdean comfort food. It’s a thick, rich and delicious chicken soup that’s made with rice, vegetables and simple seasonings.
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 juiced lemon
2 teaspoons of salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of crushed garlic, divided
1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 quartered tomato
8 cups of chicken broth, plus enough water to top the pot off
2 bouillon cubes
2 small carrots, diced
1-2 small potatoes, diced very small
1 and ½ cups of medium-grain rice
Make sure to stir the canja periodically so that the rice doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan
Try to maintain low heat or low flame so that the rice doesn’t burn
If you need to add more water to the canja at any point, make sure to only add boiling water and adjust the amount of seasoning
Keywords: Cape Verdean, Cape Verde, Canja, Portuguese, Brazilian, Brasil, Canja, Recipe, Authentic, traditional