Pepper Soup (Chicken)

Pepper soup is less a soup than a hot, fragrant broth — a light, intensely spiced liquid built for warming you up and clearing your head. This chicken version is the everyday one, though catfish, goat meat (asun) and cow-leg versions are just as loved. The defining ingredient is the pepper-soup spice mix, a blend of local seeds and aromatics (uda, uziza, ehuru and others) that gives the broth its distinctive scent; scotch bonnet supplies the heat.

Because there is no thickener and little oil, pepper soup is quick and relatively light on cost — most of the money goes on the protein and the spice mix, and a little of the latter goes a long way. Simmer the chicken with the ground spice, onion, pepper and stock until tender, and finish with scent leaf (nchanwu) for the fresh top note. Do not over-boil once the meat is done, or the delicate aromatics flatten out.

Nigerians reach for pepper soup for good reasons beyond flavour — it is the go-to when someone has a cold, a comfort dish on a rainy Lagos night, and a light starter at parties. It scales easily by adding stock and protein, and works as a low-carb meal on its own or with a small portion of rice or agidi. For the cost of one protein and a spoon of spice, it delivers a lot of comfort.