Description
Caldo de Pollo is a comforting and flavorful Mexican chicken soup made with tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a rich, savory broth. This classic recipe combines shredded chicken, fresh vegetables, and a smooth tomato and herb puree to create a warm and satisfying meal perfect for any day.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 8 cups water
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and halved
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable Puree
- 1 cup broth (reserved from cooking)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 1 medium onion (from broth, to blend)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (from broth, to blend)
- 4 cloves garlic (from broth, to blend)
Vegetables
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 ears corn, halved
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
Garnish (optional)
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: In a large pot, heat 8 cups of water over medium-high heat. Add the boneless chicken thighs, quartered onion, seeded jalapeño pepper, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Make the vegetable puree: Carefully remove 1 cup of the hot broth and pour it into a blender. Using a small strainer, remove the onion, jalapeño, and garlic from the pot and add them to the blender. Add chicken bouillon powder, oregano, and Roma tomatoes. Blend until smooth to create a flavorful vegetable puree.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and shred them finely using two forks. Discard any bones if present.
- Combine and cook vegetables: Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the vegetable puree. Add chopped carrots, celery, corn halves, and peeled chopped potatoes. Cover and gently boil the soup for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges if desired. Serve hot with optional sides like hot sauce or Mexican rice.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken pieces for extra rich broth if preferred.
- Adjust salt to taste, especially if using chicken bouillon powder which adds saltiness.
- Seed the jalapeño to reduce spiciness or keep seeds for extra heat.
- The vegetable puree adds depth and smoothness; blending the cooked aromatics with tomatoes enhances flavor.
- Substitute russet potatoes with yellow or Yukon gold potatoes for different texture.
- Leftover soup stores well refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure the chicken bouillon powder is gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
