Chicken Sopas: Creamy Filipino Macaroni Soup
Recipe Guy
Filipino comfort soup | Creamy macaroni | Rainy-day dinner
Chicken sopas should feel generous without becoming a pot of swollen macaroni. Cook the chicken first, add pasta only when the broth is ready, and finish gently with evaporated milk. Carrots, cabbage, and optional hot dogs fill out each bowl.
Why make it: This version keeps the nostalgic evaporated-milk richness while giving timing cues so the macaroni stays tender instead of bloated.
Fresh From the Kitchen
About This Recipe
Onion, garlic, and celery establish the soup before the bone-in thighs simmer in broth or water. Removing and shredding the chicken makes serving easier and leaves the pot ready for macaroni and carrots. Fish sauce seasons the broth without requiring a complicated seasoning mixture.
Cabbage and evaporated milk arrive near the end. Lower heat is useful at this stage, and the pasta should still have a little firmness before the final simmer. The short rest thickens the soup further as everything settles.
Cooking Notes
- Check the macaroni before adding the cabbage and milk. If it is already completely soft, the remaining simmer and rest will take it further than intended.
- Shred the chicken into pieces that fit comfortably on a soup spoon. Remove bones as you work rather than returning large sections that need attention at the table.
Ingredient Notes
For the chicken
Bone-in thighs make a better broth, but shredded rotisserie chicken is a useful shortcut on busy nights.
For the macaroni
Cook it just until tender because it keeps absorbing broth as the soup sits.
Chicken Sopas Recipe
This version keeps the nostalgic evaporated-milk richness while giving timing cues so the macaroni stays tender instead of bloated.
Shopping List
- bone-in chicken thighs
- elbow macaroni
- evaporated milk
- hot dogs optional
- cabbage
- carrots
- celery
- onion
- garlic
- chicken broth
- fish sauce
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 8 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 4 hot dogs, sliced, optional
Creamy Finish
- 1 can evaporated milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sliced green onions, optional
Instructions
- Cook onion, garlic, and celery in butter or oil until softened.
- Add the chicken, broth, and fish sauce, then simmer until the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer, measuring away from the bone.
- Remove chicken, shred the meat, and return it to the pot.
- Add macaroni and carrots and simmer until the pasta is almost tender.
- Stir in cabbage and optional hot dogs.
- Lower the heat and add evaporated milk.
- Simmer gently for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving so the soup settles.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per serving based on the listed ingredients and yield. Actual nutrition will vary by brand, exact portion size, and cooking changes.
Tips For The Best Chicken Sopas
- Add milk gently: A low simmer keeps the soup creamy instead of scorched.
- Stop pasta early: Macaroni softens more as it sits in hot broth.
- Use cabbage near the end: It only needs a few minutes to turn tender.
- Thin leftovers: Add broth or milk when reheating because sopas thickens in the fridge.
How To Serve And Store
Serve hot with crackers, pandesal, or rice if that is how your table does soup. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days and reheat gently.
Common Questions
Can I skip hot dogs?
Yes. They are nostalgic for many families but optional.
Can I use milk instead of evaporated milk?
Yes, but evaporated milk gives a richer, familiar sopas flavor.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Start with broth and add shredded chicken with the macaroni.
Why did my soup get too thick?
The pasta absorbed broth. Add more liquid when reheating.
Why does sopas thicken after it stands?
The macaroni keeps absorbing liquid after the pot leaves the heat. Leave the soup a little looser than you want to serve, and use a splash of the listed broth to loosen an overly thick bowl.
Can I leave out the hot dogs?
Yes. They are optional, and the chicken, macaroni, and vegetables already make a substantial soup. Keep the same sequence, adding cabbage near the end and lowering the heat before the evaporated milk.
Does chicken sopas need hot dogs in your house, or is chicken enough? Share your family version or testing notes in the comments.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: Filipino home-cooking source research from Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, and Filipino-American cooking sources in the site roadmap.
