Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs with skin and bones
• 1 tbsp. l. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 jalapeño, chopped
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 1/4 cup sofrito sauce, preferably Goya
• 1 teaspoon baked chicken-flavored chicken soup base, preferably Better Than Bouillon
• 220g wide egg noodles, preferably No Yolks
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt, black pepper, and cumin. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook without moving until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. At this stage, you don't want to cook it, but rather render as much fat as possible from the skin.
3. Add the jalapeño, onion, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Then add the sofrito and soup base and bring to a simmer. Remove the skin from the chicken and discard.
4. Return the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add the egg noodles and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Just before serving, add the cilantro and stir. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls, placing a piece of chicken in each.