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Caldo de Pollo topped with radishes in a white bowl.
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4.61 from 276 votes

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.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Soups
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Gabriela

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
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