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Home > Recipes > Soups

Mexican Caldo De Pollo (Chicken Soup)

by Gabriela - Updated April 2, 2025 | 96 Comments
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Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup) is a beautiful recipe for heartwarming soup that will make you and your family very happy. The combination of simple kitchen staples, like rice, chopped cilantro, and chicken, makes this traditional Mexican chicken soup a comforting meal.

Caldo de Pollo in a white bowl

I'm a devoted soup lover myself, and scarcely a week goes by in my home without a steaming pot of soup bubbling away on the stove, ready to be relished at lunch or dinner. They're often quite easy to make and perfect for an entire meal in a bowl.

If you love soup too, you've got to try my other Mexican soups Sopa Seca de Fideos or Caldo Tlalpeño next!

Jump to:
  • 🍜 What is Caldo De Pollo
  • 💝 Why You Will Love This Caldo De Pollo Recipe
  • 📝 Ingredients
  • 🔄Caldo Soup Variations
  • Video Recipe
  • 👩‍🍳 How To Make Caldo De Pollo Mexicano
  • 📦How To Store
  • 💡 Expert Tips
  • 🌮 More Mexican Recipes to Love
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

🍜 What is Caldo De Pollo

Caldo de pollo is a Mexican-style chicken soup made with chicken and vegetables. It is nutritious, delicious, and comforting. In Spanish, caldo means soup, while pollo means chicken, so it translates to English as chicken soup, which sounds rather ordinary, but this soup is anything but that!

Mexican households each have their own version of this Mexican chicken soup recipe, but the basics are similar to most recipes. What makes this recipe stand out above other sopa de pollo recipes is that the rice and tomatoes are cooked separately from the broth, adding more flavor.

Traditionally, this homemade soup is served with a slice or two of avocado, sliced radishes, and fresh cilantro(coriander) on top. Wedges of lime are also on the side to squeeze into the soup for added brightness and flavor.

I love cooking Mexican recipes! If you are like me, you might love these popular recipes for Mexican Fajitas, Papas con Chorizo, Easy Mexican Rice, Homemade Guacamole, or Tinga recipe.

💝 Why You Will Love This Caldo De Pollo Recipe

  • Comforting: This classic Mexican chicken soup is one of our favorites and is in heavy rotation from November to April especially during the winter months.
  • Simple Ingredients: The combination of simple ingredients and also kitchen staples, like chicken, rice, cilantro, and vegetables, make this delicious Mexican soup an authentic comfort meal. 
  • Warm and Cozy: Whether you're feeling under the weather or just need some warmth, this soup has a way of making you feel safe, happy, and cozy from the inside out. There's something magical about a warm bowl of chicken soup on a cold day.
  • Kid-Friendly: This soup is one the whole family, even the kids, can enjoy, too, making it a wonderful choice for family meals. It serves well as both a main dish for dinner and a light lunch.
  • Authenticity: Above all, this is an authentic Mexican caldo de pollo recipe, letting you enjoy a true taste of Mexican cuisine right in your own kitchen.
Mexican chicken soup in a bowl with a spoon and radishes and cilantro on top.

📝 Ingredients

Here's a look at the simple ingredients you need to make one of the best caldo de pollo recipes out there. Be sure to review the full list and quantities of each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the end of the page.

  • Chicken: This might be the most important part of this simple soup. I prefer using chicken drumsticks, thighs, or wings with bones and skin, which makes the soup more flavorful. Traditionally, caldo de pollo is made with a whole chicken cut into pieces for a rich, family-sized soup.
  • Vegetables: Good soups and hearty stews always make use of vegetables. You will need carrots, onions, potatoes, green celery, fresh tomatoes, and garlic.
  • Cilantro: This is a truly popular herb in Mexican cuisine. Some people have a love-hate relationship with it, so I will say this: if you want an authentic taste of this Mexican soup, use it. If you absolutely hate it, use parsley instead. I am not going to watch you.
  • Tomato sauce: I used canned tomato sauce. You can also use tomato paste instead of the sauce but reduce the amount to 1-2 tablespoons of paste.
Ingredients for caldo de pollo0
  • Rice: I used long-grain white rice however you can also use brown rice as well if you prefer whole grains.
  • Water: You do not need store-bought chicken stock for this recipe because the vegetables and meat in the soup cook down to make a homemade chicken stock. You will see how easy it is to make a flavorful broth that is so much better than anything from the store.
  • Lime: Brings an extra layer of flavor to the soup. Cut it into wedges and squeeze some juice over it.
  • Avocado: Slice and add it to the soup as a garnish. Yum!
  • Corn tortillas: Warm corn tortillas are the way to go for an authentic pollo de caldo experience.

💡 INGREDIENT PRO TIP: Use a potato that holds well in the soup and doesn't fall apart during cooking. Waxy potatoes are a good option. Yukon gold or red potatoes work well, too.

🔄Caldo Soup Variations

  • Do You Want It Spicy? Add some hot sauce to it for serving if you want a touch of heat. Salsa Valentina is traditional and really tasty. Traditionally the preparation of the soup is simple and doesn't include adding spices. 
  • Using Chicken Breasts or Boneless and Skinless Chicken. These options are less ideal, but they're fine if that's all you have. However, if using ordinary chicken, I suggest adding extra back pieces and giblets for a more flavorful broth.
  • Adding More Vegetables. You can add more vegetables if you want. Cabbage, zucchini, and Mexican chayote squash are other traditional vegetables added to the caldo de pollo.
  • Added Flavor. You can add bay leaves or chicken bouillon cube for additional flavor though I don't usually cook this soup with them.
  • Instant Pot Method. You can also make Caldo de Pollo in an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker.

Video Recipe

👩‍🍳 How To Make Caldo De Pollo Mexicano

  • Step 1. Cook the chicken. Place the chicken, salt, black pepper, and garlic cloves in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add water to the pot to cover the ingredients and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and allow everything to simmer for about 15 minutes.

PRO TIP: Skim the foam that forms on top of the soup as it cooks using a spoon.

Chicken cooking in a soup pot.
  • Step 2. Cook the rice. Heat the oil in a separate pan and cook the rice until the color is golden brown. Stir frequently and watch closely to avoid burning it. 
Collage showing the steps for frying the rice.
  • Step 3: Chop the onions. Add them to the rice and cook until the onions are translucent, stirring once in a while. Chop the fresh tomatoes and add them to the rice. Cook everything together for a few minutes.
Steps of frying the rice with onions and tomatoes.
  • Step 4. Add the rice mixture to the soup. Add the rice and vegetable mixture to the soup pot along with the chicken. Cooking the vegetables and rice separately brings another layer of flavor to the soup making it even better.
  • Step 5. Add the vegetables to the soup. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes to the soup and allow them to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high.
Chopped vegetables for caldo de pollo on a cutting board.
  • Step 6: Simmer the soup. Until the vegetables are cooked through, about 20-30 minutes. At this point, your chicken should be cooked enough.

PRO TIP: You can leave the cooked chicken pieces in the pot as they are, or you can remove them from the soup and shred the meat for easier serving.

Caldo de pollo in the soup pot when it's finished cooking.
  • Step 7. Add the tomato sauce. Also, add a little bit of cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Give it a taste and add more salt if it's needed.
Cilantro and tomato sauce added to the soup towards the end of cooking.

Step 8. Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls, including a piece of chicken, and serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas.

PRO SERVING TIP: Add some sliced avocado and radishes to the serving bowl, squeeze some lime juice into the soup, and serve it with warm corn tortillas. Your meal will be perfect.

Caldo de pollo in a bowl served with avocado radishes and limes on top.

📦How To Store

  • Refrigerator: This homemade caldo de pollo should be fully cooled before placing it in an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Freezing: If you have a large amount left storing it in the freezer is a great option. Transfer it to individual servings or one large container and freeze it for up to three months. Allow it to thaw out in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Reheat: Warm up the leftover soup on the stove or individual bowls in the microwave.

💡 Expert Tips

Here's a recap of my top tips for making the best tasting bowl of soup.

  • Use Bone-In and Skin-On Chicken. It simply makes a much tastier broth. I am partial to chicken legs but bone-in chicken thighs work great too!
  • Leave the Chicken Whole or Shred It. If you prefer to shred it, remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Then use two forks to remove the chicken from the bones, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the pot.
  • Use Potatoes That Holds Shape. Waxy potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or Russets all work great.
  • Don't Skip the Lime. It adds such an incredible burst of flavor to the soup.

🌮 More Mexican Recipes to Love

Are you interested in more Mexican recipes? Try some of these 15 authentic Mexican recipes, or my new recipe on the blog Mexican Red Rice (Arroz A La Mexicana). Here are some other favorites to try!

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Thank you note for the readers.

📖 Recipe

Caldo de Pollo topped with radishes in a white bowl.

Caldo De Pollo Recipe (Mexican Chicken Soup)

Caldo de Pollo is a Mexican chicken soup recipe that features rice, cilantro, chicken, and other vegetables cooked in a wonderful tomato broth.
4.61 from 276 votes
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Course: Soups
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Gabriela

Equipment

  • Oven-Safe Pots and Pans Set
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Ingredients

  • 8 cups water
  • 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup white long grain rice
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 tomatoes chopped Roma tomatoes
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 3 potatoes quartered
  • 1 green celery chopped
  • ⅓ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 1 Lime sliced wedges for serving
  • Corn tortillas for serving
  • optional 1 avocado sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the chicken.

  • Place the water, chicken, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves in a large pot. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. While the broth is simmering, skim the foam that forms on top of the water.

Cook the rice separately.

  • In a separate skillet, heat the oil on medium heat, add rice, and cook, occasionally stirring, until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn it.
  • Add chopped onion and continue cooking until onion is translucent, for about 2 minutes.
  • Add chopped tomato and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the rice mixture to the pot with the chicken.

  • Stir in the carrots, celery, and potatoes to the soup and let come to a boil. Reduce heat. Allow it to simmer until vegetables cook through, about 20-30 minutes.
  • Add tomato sauce, cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Check again for salt.

Serve.

  • Ladle soup into bowls including a piece of chicken for each serving, and serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas.
  • Optional: Add slices of avocado to your soup.

Video

Notes

  • Use Bone-In and Skin-On Chicken. It simply makes a much tastier broth.
  • Leave the Chicken Whole or Shred It. If you prefer to shred it, remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Then use two forks to remove the chicken from the bones and return it to the pot.
  • Use Potatoes That Holds Shape. Waxy potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or Russets all work great.
  • Don't Skip the Lime. It adds such an incredible burst of flavor to the soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1187mg | Potassium: 884mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2829IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @thebossykitchen or tag #thebossykitchen!

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Comments

  1. Samantha C. says

    April 11, 2022 at 6:22 pm

    This is so good! I made this because I have a horrible cold and just wanted something warm with a lot of veggies. I didn’t have any celery on hand though so I decided to add some sliced Brussels sprouts instead. Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got, and I have to tell you that I wasn’t disappointed. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
  2. Jessica Weiss says

    April 12, 2022 at 1:27 pm

    Let me start off by saying— I don’t cook. Cooking has never called to me. But my mom had surgery over the weekend and I just made this for her. It’s really good! The only thing I added extra was a little bit of cumin and chayote(it’s her fav). Otherwise I followed the directions to a T, and it came out delicious. Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      April 12, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      I am so happy when I receive little notes like yours! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment on the recipe. It is indeed a good recipe and so easy to make! ❤️

      Reply
  3. Kay Bee says

    May 25, 2022 at 1:14 pm

    Just wanted to comment that I really enjoyed this soup. Its simple and uncomplicated and sometimes that's all we need!

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      May 25, 2022 at 1:44 pm

      Thank you for your kind, lovely comment and for taking the time leave a message!

      Reply
  4. Vanessa says

    June 12, 2022 at 11:11 am

    My husband and I love this soup. I add cabbage and chayote squash along with Maggi seasoning. Great recipe! Thank you

    Reply
  5. Tracie says

    August 23, 2022 at 10:31 am

    Could I use the Mexican stew tomato’s in a can?

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      August 23, 2022 at 2:21 pm

      If this is all you have in the house, yes. :- )

      Reply
  6. Sarah says

    September 07, 2022 at 11:46 am

    I made this soup as directed and it was delicious and so satisfying! My family enjoyed it. I will be making again. Love that it is simple, tasty, filling, and healthy. No need to add anything extra.

    Reply
  7. Carmella says

    September 25, 2022 at 8:44 pm

    Absolutely delicious!!!

    Reply
  8. Gina says

    November 02, 2022 at 12:36 pm

    This soup tasted delicious! I followed the directions almost to the tee. I omitted the tomato sauce at the end (because it was good without it, but maybe I'll add it next time) and I added extra vegetables. My only complaint is that I wished my pot was bigger so I could have made more!

    Reply
  9. Chuy says

    November 15, 2022 at 7:17 am

    Please stop calling caldo soup. Soup in spanish is sopa. Caldo is stew. Just saying.

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      November 15, 2022 at 12:17 pm

      Chuy, with all due respect, my friend, caldo is interchangeable with sopa. You have caldo de pollo, caldo tlalpeno, but you also have sopa de tortilla, sopa de elote, or sopa de aguacate. Also, caldo means broth. Broth is the liquid that results after meat, vegetables, or both are simmered in water. This broth can be consumed by itself or can be used to make a stew, as it has lots of flavors.

      A stew is called guisado, guiso, cazuela, or estofado and it has less liquid than a caldo or a soup. And there are also hearty soup-stews that are called pucheros. So, my soup is a caldo (broth) because the chicken is cooked in water first,then other ingredients are added to the pot to create a delicious caldo de pollo.
      I have been a food blogger for almost ten years, and I do a lot of research before putting a recipe on my blog. I know what I am doing. Just saying.

      Reply
    • Sandra says

      November 07, 2023 at 5:27 pm

      Caldo is definitely soup. The only time I have heard sopa growing up in my Mexican family was for rice, what is known as Spanish rice. Or sopa de fideo. Caldo is most definitely soup.

      Reply
  10. Rick T says

    November 30, 2022 at 10:45 am

    I've made this caldo several times and it's good. I add my own spices to my individual taste ..

    Reply
  11. Debbie says

    January 05, 2023 at 11:02 pm

    Just finishing up cooking the soup. I can already tell it will be amazing!!!!
    I did not “spice it up”, as this is one of our favorite dishes at a local authentic restaurant, and theirs seems to be made like your recipe. I do believe most soups need to be first served the day after they are made. So, it will be tomorrow’s dinner.
    I am going to use radish, avocado, lime juice , cilantro to garnish.
    Thank you for sharing your tips and your recipe!!!

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      January 05, 2023 at 11:12 pm

      You are so very welcome! Thank you for your comment!

      Reply
  12. Ric says

    January 24, 2023 at 10:37 am

    Have you adapted this recipe for a slow cooker? I'm definitely making it today but was hoping for a slow cooker version.

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      January 24, 2023 at 12:56 pm

      Hi, I adapted this recipe for the Instant Pot. Here is the link to that recipe: https://www.thebossykitchen.com/instant-pot-caldo-de-pollo-chicken-soup-mexican-style/

      Reply
  13. Donna says

    January 27, 2023 at 8:54 am

    5 stars
    Wow! Chicken soup with a twist. So good! The entire pot was eaten by the family and they loved it. The squeeze of lime is absolutely necessary and delicious.

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      January 27, 2023 at 9:06 am

      Wow! Thank you so much for your review! This soup is indeed a keeper!

      Reply
  14. Heidi O says

    January 29, 2023 at 12:28 pm

    5 stars
    My family has the flu and I made this instead of our typical chicken noodle. This is my new favorite soup. I had several bowls and thought it could easily be served in a restaurant as it’s that good. Thank you for posting! I’ll be making this again for sure.

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      January 29, 2023 at 2:23 pm

      I am so happy to read your comment, but I am sorry your family had the flu. I am going through a cold right now and chicken soup is the only one that helps. Thank you so much for leaving a comment!

      Reply
  15. Sarah says

    February 18, 2023 at 7:24 pm

    Wow! For such a simple recipe and no seasoning, it's got alot of flavor. I will definitely make this again. My family loved it.

    Reply
    • The Bossy Kitchen says

      February 19, 2023 at 3:03 pm

      Thank you, Sarah!

      Reply
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Gabriela the creator of The Bossy Kitchen

Hi! I am Gabriela, and this is my virtual home. I am a trained Pastry Chef and a self-taught cook. I inherited the cooking genes from my maternal grandma and the love for baking from my paternal grandma.

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