I Goofed .. Soup Too Spicy

[Canthespam]

I made a BIG pot of chicken soup with a new recipe and it called for 1/8 teas. of red pepper flakes. After tasting it, I think that I put in 1/2 teaspoon. Is there any way to tame it? My husband who loves spicy foods say that now it tastes more like chili and is a bit too hot for him too.

Thanks.

[kseiverd]

Maybe strain out everything from broth, return to pot with HALF of original broth, and top off with plain chicken stock?!? Then freeze other half of stock for something later on?

[Canthespam]

The Soup Fairies performed their magic over night. The soup was too hot to eat when I made it Sunday night, and while I was pondering which of the above tips to use ... I decided to heat it up and try some for dinner on Monday night ....

I don't know what happened, but the soup seasoning was perfect, all of the hotness had disappeared. But ... I ended up with some good future info.

Thanks.

[michelleats]

Fascinating. We could have a whole 'nother interesting thread on how this could've happened. Could the vegetables in the soup have released additional moisture into the soup, diluting it? Do dried chili peppers mellow out over the course of a few days, after they've been cooked?

I'm glad it worked out in any event! Sounds like a delicious soup.

[Canthespam]

Yes, the soup was delicious. Sauteing the veggies and browning the whole thighs and then shredding them after they were cooked, made for a richer taste. I usually prefer thicker soups, this a good recipe. The only change I made was I added 1/4 cup of barley as I didn't have any noodles.

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/vi...

Enjoy.

[katecm]

Well now it's too late to help, but I suppose for future reference I'd have recommended stirring it in with some plain unseasoned cooked rice and then bake with a breadcrumb topping as an easy casserole. I'd think the rice would help even out some of the heat.

[LJS]

If ytou don't mind changing the 'character' of the soup a bit, add 1/2 cup of peanut butter-creamy or chunky and re-heat thoroughly.

The peanut-chicken-heat thing works well together, taste-wise. The soup will be extended thus diminishing the heat, through both diluting and 'sweetening'.

My family is so enamoured of the combo, I have been known to take a can of You-Know-Who's Cream of Chicken and simply add PB and a bit of curry and those same pepper flakes that did you in...it's a great Sunday supper with Naan bread and any Asian-style salad.

[Karl S]

Correct. If dilution is not feasible, nut butters are the best tool to emulsify capsaicin; thick dairy is a distant second best. I wonder about a liaison of egg yolk off heat, though (no reheating)

[Mild Bill]

I remember a time when a meat & vegetable dish was way too spicy and I turned on a dime and went 'Thai', by adding some curry and coconut milk... It blew our minds and became way better than what I first set out to do... I'm not saying do this, but I wanted to toss it out there...

[michelleats]

I like this approach. It would change the flavor profile significantly, but in canthespam's shoes, I'd probably dilute with chicken broth, additional sauteed vegetables, cream, tortilla chips and cilantro, and claim that it was supposed to be Mexican.

[sedimental]

Diluting is the only sure way to fix it. Canned chicken broth should work. If you have to remove some of the spicy broth in order to keep the ratio's the same, you could maybe freeze the removed broth, freeze and save for chili!

[emeats]

I've also heard that cooking a potato in the broth will draw out the seasoning (whether it be salt, spice, etc. - maybe worth a try?

[Canthespam]

I've heard the potato thing too, but never tried it.

[chefj]

It does not work. Dilution is the only way to make it milder.

[todao]

Right on, chefj. The potato myth is an old wives tale. Of course, if you dilute it with enough potato that dilution will have some advantage. Dilution, preferably more of the same recipe without the pepper, is the only way to make it milder. Dairy products eaten with it may shield the mouth from some of the heat, but that's never a sure thing.

[tcamp]

Seconding the dairy recommendation. My preference is mexican crema. A big dollop on top will cool things down. If I have steamed veggies laying around (green beans esp.), mixing those into the soup will cool it down too.

[Canthespam]

Thanks - I have some yo-cheese that I made the other day and that does sound good. I didn't have any noodles and for dietary reasons (no will power) I don't keep pasta in the house.. so I substituted barley.

I'll plop some yo-cheese on tonight and see how it tastes.

[michelleats]

Anything dairy will help: cream, yogurt, etc... You could also just dilute it and cook for longer with additional vegetables or chicken.

Which recipe is it and how important is it to you to stay true to the recipe?

[Canthespam]

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/vi...

It's a slow cooker chicken soup recipe from America's Test Kitchen online. The veggies are sauteed and the chicken thighs are cooked whole and then shredded later. It is different from my regular chicken soup recipes and I think that it has a good flavor except for the chili flakes.

Sauteeing (sp) the veggies and browning the whole thighs gives it added flavor, so it is richer than my regular stove top chicken soup.

I had intended to freeze part of it.