This caldo de pollo recipe combines tender chicken with a rich soup broth, perfectly cooked veggies, and the most addictive seasoning blend. Warm, comforting, flavorful, and super easy to make, it's one the best homemade chicken soup recipes ever!
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The Best Caldo De Pollo
If you've never heard of caldo de pollo before, get ready to discover your next favorite soup recipe.
It's essentially Mexican chicken soup, made with shredded chicken, an assortment of vegetables that go so well together, and a deliciously flavorful broth.
This chicken caldo soup is guaranteed to leave you full and satisfied. It's honestly like no other chicken soup I've had, and it's so good!
Oh, and since most of the time spent making this Mexican chicken soup from scratch is passive cooking, you'll have more than enough time to whip up some tasty appetizers to serve with it. This Mexican street corn casserole, this Chipotle guacamole, and these air fryer tortilla chips are all great options.
Why This Recipe Works
One pot meal. Everything for this recipe comes together in just one pot, and the process is effortless.
Easy to make. Build the homemade chicken broth in the pot, add the other ingredients, and just let everything cook. That's all there is to it, and this recipe is pretty much all passive cooking.
Crowd-favorite. Everyone always raves about this pollo Mexican chicken soup. My family even prefers this over classic homemade chicken noodle soup.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for making this caldo de pollo may look lengthy, but I assure you it's just a bunch of basic ingredients. In fact, you probably have most of what you need for the homemade chicken broth on hand already!
Anyway, here's everything you'll need to make the homemade chicken stock:
- 1.5lb. chicken drumsticks or chicken pieces
- 6-8 cups of water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 dried chili peppers
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
And here's what you'll need to finish the pollo Mexican chicken soup:
- 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
- 1 jalapeno pepper, cut into sliced
- 1 ear of corn, cut into pieces
- 2 tomatoes, cut into chunks
- ¼ small head of cabbage, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup of potatoes, cubed (optional)
See, pretty simple stuff, right?
By the way, if you're craving even more chicken soup deliciousness, definitely check out this chicken tortilla soup recipe next! It's another tasty spin on a classic chicken noodle soup.
How To Make Caldo De Pollo
1. Make the homemade chicken broth: Add the chicken, water, onion, celery, garlic, dried chilies, peppercorns, and salt to a large pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the chicken starts to fall off the bones.
2. Shred the chicken: Strain the stock into a bowl and shred the chicken in another bowl. Pour the stock back into the saucepot and add the shredded chicken.
3. Complete the soup: Add the carrots, zucchini, cabbage, jalapeno, corn, tomatoes, lime juice, and potatoes if you're using them to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the veggies are as tender as you want. Serve the soup warm with some lime wedges and red pepper flakes for a little spice.
Tips To Make The Best Recipe
- Substitute the chicken drumsticks with chicken breasts if you don't want to use dark meat chicken. Just cook the chicken breasts for less time.
- Add more veggies to the soup to make it even healthier.
- For more flavor, serve caldo de pollo Mexican chicken soup with chopped cilantro, hot sauce sour cream, and fresh lime juice.
- Double the recipe if you're serving this as an easy weeknight dinner for the whole family. Everyone will want seconds or thirds!
How To Store Caldo De Pollo
In the fridge: Store your leftover caldo de pollo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
In the freezer: Freeze the caldo de pollo Mexican chicken soup in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Transfer your leftovers to a saucepot and set it over medium heat. Allow the soup to simmer and stir it occasionally until it reaches your desired temperature. Thaw the frozen soup in the fridge overnight before reheating.
FAQs About This Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
What gives chicken soup the most flavor?
Spices, seasonings, and salt give chicken soup most of its flavor. You can also enhance the flavor of most chicken soup recipes by using homemade chicken broth as the base of the soup.
What is the most popular soup in Mexico?
It is said that Aztec soup, also known as tortilla soup, is the most popular soup in Mexico. Other popular soups are this sopa de conchas and fideo soup.
Why is caldo de pollo good when sick?
It's warm, comforting, and packed with nutrients from the chicken broth and veggies.
More Mexican Recipes
- Fried burritos
- Green spaghetti
- Mexican pinto beans
- Taco cornbread casserole
- Beef enchilada casserole
- Doritos chicken casserole
Caldo De Pollo Recipe
This caldo de pollo recipe combines tender chicken with a rich soup broth, perfectly cooked veggies, and the most addictive seasoning blend. Warm, comforting, flavorful, and super easy to make, it's one the best homemade chicken soup recipes ever!
Ingredients
- 1.5lb. chicken drums or chicken pieces
- 6-8 cups of water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 dried chili peppers
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
- 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
- 1 jalapeno pepper, cut into sliced
- 1 ear of corn, cut into pieces
- 2 tomatoes, cut into chunks
- ¼ small head of cabbage, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup of potatoes, cubed (optional)
Instructions
- Make the chicken stock; add chicken, water, onion, celery, garlic, dried chilies, peppercorns, and salt to taste.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the chicken starts to fall off the bones.
- Strain the stock and shred the chicken.
- Place back the stock into the saucepot.
- Add chicken, carrot, zucchini, cabbage, jalapeno, corn, tomatoes, lime juice, and potatoes - if using.
- Simmer for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender as you desire.
- Serve soup warm with some lime wedges and pepper flakes if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 102Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 10g
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