This EASY Caldo De Pollo recipe is a comforting and healthy authentic Mexican chicken soup that it’s irresistible! It’s hearty, loaded with vegetables, and is the perfect meal to make on a chilly day.
Caldo De Pollo (which translates to “chicken broth” in Spanish) is not just a soup; it’s a dish made in every Mexican home. With its delicious flavor and simple preparation, it’s no wonder this dish is always a family favorite!
It’s a nutritious soup packed with vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and lean protein from the chicken. It’s a wholesome choice for any meal and you’ll love how easy it is to make.
This is my family’s recipe that has been passed down through generations that I hope my kids make one day!
Why you’ll love it
- Versatile and Flavorful: this sopa de pollo is a versatile dish that can be customized to suit your taste. You can add a variety of vegetables, herbs, and spices to enhance the flavor.
- It’s not just a comfort food; it’s a natural remedy too. It’s packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help boost your immune system. The chicken itself provides protein, while the vegetables in the soup offer essential nutrients that support overall health.
- It’s a light meal and it’s gentle on the stomach.
Ingredients
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breast to keep it low in fat and healthy. However, I add a couple of drumsticks to add more flavor. If you don’t mind more fat content in your soup, you’re more than welcome to use chicken thighs and wings with skin on.
- Vegetables: The veggies mix consists of carrots, celery, onions, corn on the cob, chayote, potatoes, and zucchini. Feel free to add your favorites or to omit the ones you don’t like or can’t find.
- Optional veggies: cabbage, green beans and lime wedges and avocados for garnish.
- Spices: I keep this recipe simple by using salt, pepper, chicken bouillon, oregano, garlic and cilantro. These are spices that create its unforgettable taste.
How to Make Caldo De Pollo
This is a visual overview of the steps to make this recipe. See the detailed list of ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (8-quart) over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute until onions start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
- Add the water, tomato sauce, chicken pieces, and spices. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken starts to soften.
- Add the cilantro, corn on the cob, chayote and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the zucchini.
- Stir well and taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 more minutes before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and drizzle lime juice and hot sauce.
Tips and Notes
- Make ahead: Prepare the recipe ahead of time. It often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together.
- If you like spicy food, add sliced jalapeños or serrano peppers to enhance the flavor.
- Make sure you have a large pot. At least 8-quart stock pot.
Serving Suggestions
This is a one pot meal and it’s complete as is! There is no need to fuss with side dishes. However, nothing complements the heartiness of Caldo De Pollo like tortillas. Whether it’s warm corn tortillas or homemade flour tortillas, the combination is so delicious.
You can also make some Mexican red rice and add it inside the soup. This is a very classic way to eat this soup! It makes it heartier and the rice helps absorb some of the delicious broth.
Don’t forget to drizzle some lime juice and sprinkle some hot sauce for the ultimate combination of flavors. Mexican soups always taste better with this combo.
How to Store
- Fridge: Allow the soup to cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: If you want to store it for a longer period, freezing is a great option. Place the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Seal it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label the container with the date and contents!
Reheating
- Stovetop: Heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even reheating. Once the entire soup is heated through, it’s ready to be enjoyed.
- Microwave: If you prefer a quicker method, the microwave is a convenient option. Place the meat in a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely to prevent splatters, and heat it in short intervals, stirring in between. About 3 minutes per bowl.
MORE delicious…
Mexican Soups To Try
I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana
Print Recipe:
Caldo De Pollo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ medium white or yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 4 large carrots
- 2 garlic cloves whole or minced
- 9 cups water
- 1 8 ounces can tomato sauce
- 2 large skinless boneless chicken breast
- 2 chicken legs bone in (skin is optional)
- 2 chicken flavour bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt (if using fine salt, use half the amount) or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 corn on the cob cut into 5 pieces
- 1 chayote cut into 2 inch cubes
- 2 large russet potatoes cut into 2 inch cubes
- 2 medium zucchinis cut into 2 inch cubes
- lime juice and hot sauce for serving.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart) over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Saute until onions start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.2 tablespoons olive oil, ¾ medium white or yellow onion, 2 celery sticks, 4 large carrots, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the water, tomato sauce, chicken, and spices. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken starts to soften.9 cups water, 1 8 ounces can tomato sauce, 2 large skinless boneless chicken breast, 2 chicken legs bone in, 2 chicken flavour bouillon cubes, 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt (if using fine salt, use half the amount), ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- Add the cilantro, corn on the cob, chayote and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the zucchini.¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 chayote, 2 large russet potatoes, 2 medium zucchinis
- Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 more minutes before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and drizzle lime juice and hot sauce.
Muy Delish Notes:
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Nutrition
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
My mom always did it her way but she had a good hand to cook we love her cooking but now that she’s gone she gave us so many recipes we use them at home but mashed potatoes or potato salad anything that we like we gave she gave us the recipe for it we always carry it in hand or in a book. Sometimes I would like to have my own cookbook but I don’t know how to spell words right sometimes I get confused and I have anxiety attacks. I like I love to cook beef stew and caldo the rest and caldo de pollo.. sometimes I wish I can make some good homemade rice and enchiladas rice and beans but I don’t know the recipe for that cuz we never ate enchiladas at home only rice and beans and video.For right now I for right now I have to lose weight but I weigh 249. But my doctor wants me to lose weight and my other doctor gave me some pills for my cancer and that’s making me gain weight that’s making me gain weight how can I lose weight how can I lose weight how can I lose weight if I’m eating if I’m eating these foods give me a recipe that I can lose weight please I’m desperate to lose my weight I want to go down to 132/125 in 2 months. Can you help me lose weights.
My husband isn’t a soup person and this recipe changed his mind!!! Absolutely delicious. I also added some fresh broccoli, some green beans and spinach. Came out amazing!
So….when do you put the carrots in??
Hi Teresa! On the first step with the celery and onions. I missed it but the recipe card has been fixed. thanks for the question!
Delishious. I will come back to this recipe time and time again. Thank you!
Hoy lo voy a hacer. Gracias Ana!!
I made this soup for dinner last night and OMG was it delicious! Perfectly comforting and easy to make!
This soup was packed with flavor, and super hearty and satisfying. Made for an easy dinner for my family last night!
Man, was this ever good. I loved the big chunks of veggies and the flavors were awesome!
This is some of the best soup I’ve ever made! I love the chicken and all the veggies, and the spices are wonderful.
Spectacular! Great with adjusting salt for cirrhosis liver patents.
It smelled so good while it was cooking, I couldn’t wait to try it. It was absolutely delicious.