Description
Caldo de Pollo is a comforting and flavorful Mexican chicken soup featuring tender chicken thighs, hearty vegetables, and a rich, savory broth infused with garlic, jalapeño, and oregano. This vibrant soup is perfect for a nourishing meal and is traditionally served with fresh cilantro, lime, and optional hot sauce or rice.
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 pepper
Seasoning and Puree
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 3 Roma tomatoes
Vegetables
- 3 medium chopped carrots
- 3 ribs chopped celery
- 3 ears corn, halved
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
Garnishes (optional)
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: Heat 8 cups of water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 quartered medium onion, 1 seeded and halved jalapeño pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and gently boil for 20 minutes to cook the chicken thoroughly and infuse the broth.
- Make vegetable puree: Remove 1 cup of the broth with a ladle and pour it into a blender. Use a small strainer to remove the onion, jalapeño, and garlic from the pot and add them to the blender. Add 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 3 Roma tomatoes to the blender. Blend until smooth to create a flavorful puree to enrich the soup.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and use two forks to shred them into bite-sized pieces.
- Add vegetables and puree: Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the blended vegetable puree. Add 3 medium chopped carrots, 3 ribs chopped celery, 3 ears of corn cut in half, and 2 large peeled and chopped russet potatoes. Cover the pot and gently boil for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve fresh. Garnish with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and optional hot sauce or Mexican rice on the side for an authentic experience.
Notes
- You can use bone-in chicken pieces instead of boneless for deeper flavor, just increase simmering time to 30 minutes.
- If you prefer a spicier soup, keep the jalapeño seeds or add extra chili peppers.
- The vegetable puree adds body and richness; skip blending for a chunkier texture or if you want a lighter broth.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated up to 3 days and reheat gently on stovetop.
- For a gluten-free dish, confirm chicken bouillon powder is gluten-free or substitute with homemade broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
