Caldo de Pollo Recipe
This classic homemade Mexican chicken soup is medicine for the soul. It's one of my favorite soups and so simple to make. It freezes well, which comes in very handy when you are not feeling well and need comforting.
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 4 to 6 skinless chicken drumsticks or thighs
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup long-grain rice
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 roma tomatoes chopped
- 2 carrots sliced
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 3 Yukon Gold potatoes quartered
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon safflower petals azafran
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot, put the water, chicken, salt, and garlic. Boil for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken is boiling, in a separate pan, heat the oil over medium heat, add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Add onion and continue cooking until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add tomato and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add mixture to chicken pot.
- Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to soup and let come to a boil; reduce heat. Let simmer until vegetables cook through, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add tomato sauce, cilantro, and safflower petals during the last 5 minutes.
- Ladle soup, including a piece of chicken for each serving, into bowls and serve with lime wedges, warm corn tortillas, and salsa casera.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate, covered, for up to one week. It is also an excellent candidate for freezing and will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
- As with many of my favorite dishes, I love to serve my chicken caldo soup with corn tortillas. I also top mine with salsa casera and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. No salsa? Add some hot sauce for a bit of vinegary heat.
- Veg it up! Feel free to add additional veggies you like. I love chayote, Mexican zucchini, and cabbage, but just about any veggies you have on hand will do beautifully. You can also make caldo de pollo con verduras by adding the leafy greens of your choice.
- Cut down on the carbs by omitting either the potatoes or the rice. You can also opt to sub in higher fiber brown rice to up the nutritional ante of this caldo de pollo con arroz.
- Make Mexican chicken noodle soup by omitting the rice and cooking your favorite short pasta shape (e.g. macaroni or fideos) separately in a pot of boiling water. Just remember to keep the noodles separate if you’re meal-prepping, as they tend to get soggy if they’re stored in liquid.
- Bone-in, skinless dark meat is your best option for making a rich, flavorful broth for your soup. You can always peel the skin off of chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs if needed.
- Mind your veggies. Make sure to cut your vegetables into roughly the same-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Double & Freeze. One of my favorite hacks to ensure a homemade meal is never far from reach is to double what I’m cooking (e.g. this recipe for caldo de pollo con arroz), then freeze half. After all, winter weather brings along colds and flus, so having a batch of this cozy soup at the ready means I’ll have a pre-made solution for when I inevitably fall under the weather.
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 2016mg | Potassium: 1097mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5483IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 6mg