Description
Caldo de Pollo is a comforting Mexican chicken soup packed with vegetables, aromatic spices, and tender chicken thighs simmered to perfection. This hearty and flavorful dish is perfect for a warming family meal and can be customized with fresh toppings like avocado, cilantro, and lime.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 5 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced (optional)
- 4 medium carrots sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 4 stalks celery sliced into 1/2-inch thick
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes with juices
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chiles
- 9 cups low sodium chicken broth
Added Later
- Corn from 2 ears sweet corn or one 15 oz. can sweet corn rinsed and drained
- 2 chayote, peeled, cored, chopped into 1” cubes
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Toppings
- Avocado slices
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Lime juice
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat. Once very hot, add chicken thighs and sear until golden on each side. Remove the chicken to a plate and do not clean out the pot.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty pot. Add chopped onions and minced jalapeno pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until softened.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Add sliced carrots, celery, potatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander seeds, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more.
- Add Liquids and Chicken: Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot. Add fire roasted tomatoes with juices, diced green chiles, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
- Simmer Soup: Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove Chicken and Add More Vegetables: Remove the chicken from the pot to a cutting board. Add chopped chayote and corn to the soup and gently simmer for 10 minutes until chayote is tender.
- Shred Chicken and Finish Soup: Shred the chicken off the bones and return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro. Heat through.
- Serve: Ladle soup over bowls of rice if desired and top with your choice of avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, and hot sauce.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for juicier meat; chicken breasts can be substituted but may dry out—check doneness at 20 minutes.
- For a quicker version, use 2 ½ to 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken added at the end with the cilantro.
- Chayote squash can be replaced with baby squash or any tender squash if unavailable.
- Prep vegetables ahead and store in airtight containers; keep potatoes submerged in water to prevent browning.
- Adjust spice level by omitting jalapeno, reducing chili powder to 2 teaspoons, and pepper to ¼ teaspoon for less heat.
- Skim off excess fat that rises during simmering for a lighter soup.
- Cooking times may vary depending on chicken size and vegetable chunk sizes; ensure chicken shreds easily and vegetables are fork tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
