Caldo de Pollo, a cherished traditional Mexican chicken soup, captures the essence of home-cooked comfort in a bowl. It's a symphony of chicken, rice, cilantro, and assorted vegetables, all swimming in a delicious tomato broth.
I love Mexican food, and if you are like me, here is the place where you can find some fun recipes to try, like Authentic Mexican Fajitas, Papas con Chorizo, Easy Mexican Rice, or Tinga de Pollo, just to mention a few.
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.
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What is Caldo De Pollo
Caldo de pollo is a Mexican-style chicken soup made with different parts of chicken and vegetables. It is nutritious, delicious, and comforting.
Caldo means soup, while pollo means chicken.
Every Mexican household has its own version of Caldo de Pollo. However, any 'sopa de pollo' recipe has chicken, lots of different vegetables, and a little rice or pasta.
The soup is served perhaps with a slice or two of avocado and fresh cilantro(coriander), and there are always wedges of lime on the side.
Why do I love this recipe
Comforting: This classic Mexican chicken caldo is one of our favorites and is in heavy rotation from November to April. It has some incredibly devoted fans.
Simple Ingredients: The soup uses basic kitchen staples like chicken, rice, cilantro, and vegetables, making it an authentic and easy-to-prepare 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.
Healing Properties: There's an old saying that a good chicken soup can heal anything, from a bad cold to a broken heart. And I truly believe there's a lot of truth in that.
Boosts Immunity: Even the medical field recognizes that chicken soup can do wonders for your immune system and overall well-being.
Kid-Friendly: This Caldo de Pollo recipe is something that 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.
What chicken parts work for this soup
I used chicken drumsticks and bone-in chicken thighs for this soup, but any chicken part is good. Go for the wings, the back of the bird, or the legs.
I do not recommend skinless, boneless chicken breasts, as the meat will not infuse the broth with many flavors, but go for it if this is all you have.
Traditionally, the best "Caldo de pollo" is made with whole chicken pieces that are not deboned. Sometimes, an entire chicken is used to make a good homemade chicken soup for the whole family.
I like meat with bones and skin on it. They bring so much flavor to the dish! If you have to use ordinary chicken, buy extra back and giblets to strengthen the flavor.
Ingredients for chicken soup Mexican style
For specific amounts, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Vegetables: good soups always make use of vegetables. This recipe will need carrots, onions, potatoes, green celery, fresh tomatoes, and garlic.
All these items are easy to store in your kitchen in a cool place. They are also perfect to make lots of soups and stews in the winter.
You can add more vegetables if you want. Cabbage, zucchini, and Mexican chayote are generally the traditional vegetables added to the caldo de pollo.
Tip:
You need 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.
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. I am not going to watch you.
Pantry items:
Tomato sauce: I used canned tomato sauce. You can also use tomato paste instead of sauce(You will need about 1-2 tablespoons of paste).
Olive oil (or vegetable oil): use what you have
Rice: I used long-grain white rice. Brown rice is good as well.
Water: you do not need store-bought chicken stock for this recipe. You will flavor the soup with vegetables and meat and make your own 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 on top of the soup as a garnish. Yum!
Corn tortillas: warm corn tortillas are the way to go for an authentic taste of this Caldo de pollo recipe.
Why is this soup different
This Caldo de pollo/chicken soup is made with rice and tomatoes cooked separately from the broth. This is what sets this soup apart from other Caldo de pollo recipes.
Cooking the rice, tomatoes, and onions together, separate from the broth, adds tremendous flavor to the soup, so I encourage you to follow the recipe as I wrote it.
In Mexico, chicken soup or Caldo de pollo is served simply or with different toppings added at the time of serving, like lime wedges, slices of avocado, jalapenos, or sliced radishes.
Do you want it spicy? Add some hot sauce to it. Salsa Valentina is traditional and really tasty.
However, the base of the soup is made simply, without adding spices.
How to make caldo de pollo
Step 1. Cook the chicken.
Place chicken, salt, black pepper, if you like, and garlic cloves in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add cups of water to the pot to cover the ingredients and bring them to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and allow everything to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Note: If you would like to add bay leaves chicken bouillon cube, you can do it. I usually don't cook with bouillon cubes. That's why you will not find this ingredient in any of my recipes.
Skim the foam that forms on top of the soup using a spoon.
Step 2. Cook the rice.
While the chicken is simmering, in a separate pan, heat the oil and cook the rice until the color is golden brown, without burning.
On a cutting board, chop the onions and add them to the rice. Cook them until translucent, stirring once in a while.
Chop the fresh tomatoes and add them to the rice. Cook everything together for a few minutes.
Step 3. Add the rice mixture to the soup.
This mixture goes into the soup pot next to the chicken.
The combination brings another layer of flavor to the soup, making it delicious.
Step 4. Add the vegetables to the soup.
Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to the soup and allow them to come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high. Let the soup simmer until vegetables cook through, about 20-30 minutes.
At this point, your chicken should be cooked enough.
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.
Step 5. Add tomato sauce.
Add tomato sauce and a little bit of cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Check again for salt.
Step 6. Serve.
Ladle soup into bowls, including chicken for each serving, and serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas.
If you prefer, you can remove the bones from the chicken, shred the meat or cut it into bite-sized pieces and return it to the soup.
Tip: When you serve it, add some sliced avocado and radishes to the serving bowl, squeeze some lime juice over it, and serve it with warm corn tortillas. Your meal will be perfect.
How to store this Caldo De Pollo (Chicken Soup Mexican Style) Recipe
In the refrigerator: This homemade caldo should be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also store it in airtight containers. Warm it up on the stove or microwave.
Are you interested in more Mexican recipes? Try some of these 15 authentic Mexican recipes.
Learn how to make this recipe of Caldo de Pollo in an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker. You can also adapt the recipe to make it in a slow cooker. Slow cooker caldo de pollo might be a great idea if you don't own an Instant Pot.
Enjoy!
More recipes to love
📖 Recipe
Caldo De Pollo (Chicken Soup Mexican Style)Recipe
Equipment
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
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.
Ty says
I personally loved this soup. I make this for my whole family and grand babies all the time. It is a staple that my husband grew up with. It just reminds him of home and family. Plus we all customize our bowls a little differently. My husband just like his plain with warm corn tortillas. I like radishes and avocado, and a little spice. The boys like a little crema in theirs. My daughters like chiles. It’s a win for everyone.
The Bossy Kitchen says
Hi, Thank you for your comment. I just made the soup today as well, and my husband ate it with crackers and hot peppers, while I had it with lime juice and a little bit of crema. It is so versatile and such a comforting meal, indeed a win for everyone! ❤️
Margot says
I liked this soup for how quickly it can be made. The tomatoes are a great addition. I put in powdered cumin and powdered coriander to give it extra flavour. I used chicken bone broth because I like its richness. I also used chicken breasts instead of thighs. I basically poached them in the soup for 12 minutes, then removed them and made "shredded chicken" then re-added them to the pot when the veggies were done cooking. This way, the breasts didn't dry out too much.
David Deiss says
@Margot, great recipe. I browned the legs in the pot and it turned out great. I add hot sauce to my bowl but the rest of the family loves it as is.
Autumn says
This soup was delicious! The meat was so tender it fell right off the bone! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! Buenísimo! 💕
Alesha Dawn says
Excellent recipe! Easy to follow, simple, everyday ingredients, delicious results.
Ayvee says
I made this tonight.l and doubled recipe. I added salt to my preference and used way more than 1 tbsp. I would like more rice and next time would use 2 cups of rice. The lime and corn tortillas pair very well with this. Will make again, pretty easy !
The Bossy Kitchen says
Awesome! Thank you for your comment!
Amanda says
This is a decent starter for chicken soup. But we like a lot of flavor in this house. I Season chicken quarters w/ salt&pepper, then I brown pieces of chicken in avocado oil. Toast my spices/ dry herb blend in a dry pan over med heat; for about a minute-set aside. Simmer browned chicken for 35min. Skim foam a few times. Then I add toasted spice mix, 2tbls knorr chicken bouillon, corn cobs halved, white potatoes halved, carrots, celery, white onion, garlic. Bring to boil- reduce heat- simmer 30mins. Add quartered cabbage, jalapeño and zucchini; cook another 30min. Remove from heat. Serve w/ some chopped chipotle in adobo sauce(for spice) avocado, cilantro, limes, pinco de Gallo and Mexican rice, I’ve prepared on the side w/ fire warmed corn tortillas. Recipe was given to me from a lady where I grew up on the south side of Chicago in little village. You’ll find it served like this to this day in any Mexican restaurant in that neighborhood.
The Bossy Kitchen says
Thank you for your comment and for sharing your personal chicken soup recipe, which is so different than mine. However, there are so many recipes out there, and all are so good! Chicken soup is the best! Next time I will try yours.
Amanda says
@The Bossy Kitchen,
It truly is such a versatile meal! It’s really awesome to read all the different methods/ flavorings people use. Thanks for sharing your recipe and inspiring me to get my butt out to the market at 7am today, in the blizzard currently falling; to make this! Thank goodness I live 5min away from a Mexican market 🥳 if you make the way I shared, I hope it gives you the feeling of a warm tummy hug like it does my family! Nothing beats a huge bowl of chicken and veggie soup. Have a rockin day 😊
The Bossy Kitchen says
Yikes, blizzard! Thank you again for sharing your ideas! I hope you stay warm and safe, with a bowl of chicken soup next to you!:-)
Angel says
I made this soup. I made changes to it. I added half the salt it asked for and I used chicken broth instead of water. It really upped the flavor. I also used a basil/garlic tomato sauce, again for more flavor. I had read the reviews prior to making it and I saw one that said there wasn't much flavor and that is why I made a few adjustments. It was very tasty!
Samantha C. says
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!
Jessica Weiss says
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!
The Bossy Kitchen says
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! ❤️
Kay Bee says
Just wanted to comment that I really enjoyed this soup. Its simple and uncomplicated and sometimes that's all we need!
The Bossy Kitchen says
Thank you for your kind, lovely comment and for taking the time leave a message!
Vanessa says
My husband and I love this soup. I add cabbage and chayote squash along with Maggi seasoning. Great recipe! Thank you
Tracie says
Could I use the Mexican stew tomato’s in a can?
The Bossy Kitchen says
If this is all you have in the house, yes. :- )
Sarah says
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.
Carmella says
Absolutely delicious!!!
Gina says
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!