2 tbsp. vegetable oil (30ml)
1 large onion, chopped
1 chicken, cut into pieces (4lbs/2 kg)
¼–1/2 cup canned chile chipotle en adobo
1 large tomato, skinned and seeded
2 cloves garlic
4–6 cups water or chicken broth
5–6 oz pk. uncooked fideo noodles (substitute thin spaghetti – 140gr-172gr)
4 cups diced squash or pumpkin
Salt and pepper to taste
Sliced avocado for garnish
Heat the vegetable oil in a large 10” (25cm) straight sided sauté pan with a lid (note: this is my favorite pan ever!.) Add the chopped onion, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, and brown for about 15 minutes over medium heat.
While the chicken is browning, place the desired amount of chile chipotle, the tomato, garlic and 4 cups of the water into the container of a blender. Puree and set aside.
Remove the browned chicken to a separate holding plate. Add the uncooked fideo to the hot pan, and brown the noodles for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until they are toasted. Return the browned chicken to the pan and arrange to fit with the toasted fideo. Carefully pour the chile-tomato puree into the hot pan. Add the cubes of pumpkin or squash, season with salt and pepper, and cover.
Lower the heat to simmer, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the squash or pumpkin is tender. Check the water level as the stew cooks and add the remaining 2 cups of water if necessary.
Some people like soupier fideo, other like drier fideo. The good news is that fideo is not like rice, and adding more water during the cooking process will not ruin the texture. Feel free to experiment with the amount of water you add, but don’t let it dry out and scorch!