Caldo de pollo is the ultimate Mexican chicken soup recipe that's loaded with flavor, with lots of chunky chicken, vegetables and seasonings simmered in homemade chicken stock. Easy to make!
Caldo de Pollo Recipe (Mexican Chicken Soup)
We're cooking up some homemade chicken soup in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. Would you care for a bowl? Only this isn't your typical chicken soup, which can be pretty bland and boring.
Today we're making a hugely popular Mexican Chicken Soup recipe called Caldo de Pollo, and I think you're going to love it.
Caldo de Pollo means "chicken soup" in Spanish. It's a traditional dish served in Mexican households and restaurants with lots of chicken and vegetables simmered in chicken stock with lots of seasonings. Usually the chicken stock is made from scratch.
The vegetables vary from cook to cook and really do not define the dish. You can include whatever you'd like to make the soup your own.
You'll find caldo de pollo in many Latin American countries as well. My Puerto Rican cookbooks refer to caldo de pollo as more of a chicken stock or chicken soup base. This is a Mexican style version, spiced up a touch with chile de arbol peppers, which I love for their good level of heat.
The overall dish isn't spicy, though, but you can easily spice it up to your own preferred levels. I hope you enjoy it. I love a good bowl of Mexican soup.
Let's talk about how to make caldo de pollo, shall we?
Caldo de Pollo Ingredients
- FOR THE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
- Chicken. You can use a whole chicken or your favorite pieces to make caldo de pollo. I used chicken breast with chicken leg and chicken thigh quarters. Try it with chicken legs and wings, too.
- Water. For the base of the stock.
- Vegetables. You are free to include your favorites, but I am using onion, celery and garlic cloves.
- Peppers. I like chiles de arbol peppers, though it's great with other dried pods.
- Seasonings. Bay leaves, black peppercorns and salt. I use at least a teaspoon peppercorns, or up to a tablespoon.
- FOR THE CHICKEN SOUP
- Vegetables. Again, you can use your favorites, but I am using potatoes, carrots, zucchini, jalapeno peppers, corn, tomatoes and cabbage.
- Tomato Sauce. For more pronounced tomato flavor. Completely optional for you. I enjoy the added flavor.
- Lime Juice. To finish, for a pop of acidity.
- For Serving. Spicy red pepper flakes, fresh fresh cilantro, hot sauce, lime wedges.
How to Make Caldo de Pollo - the Recipe Method
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
MAKE THE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
Simmer the Chicken and Vegetables in Water. To a very large pot, add the onions celery and carrots, garlic, chiles de arbol, bay leaves, chicken pieces, water, peppercorns and salt.
Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. You can simmer longer if you'd like to develop more flavor.
Shred the Chicken. Carefully remove the chicken and set them into a large bowl. Shred the chicken from the bones and discard the bones.
You can keep or discard the chicken skin, as desired. Set aside for now.
Strain the Chicken Stock. Strain the chicken stock and discard the solids.
Get the Chicken Soup Going. Add the chicken stock back to the same large pot and heat to a simmer. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for 20 minutes. The vegetables should start to become tender.
Second Round of Vegetables. Add the zucchini, jalapenos, corn, tomatoes, cabbage and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have all become tender to your preference.
You can add all of the vegetables at once, but some cook more quickly than others and can get too soft.
Return the Chicken to the Soup. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir in juice from 1 lime. Continue cooking to heat through. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
For Serving. Serve into bowls and garnish with red pepper flakes, fresh chopped cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges. Enjoy.
Boom! Done! Caldo de pollo is ready to serve! It looks wonderful, doesn't it? Nice and chunky, a chicken soup lover's dream. It's loaded with chicken and lots of healthy and filling veggies. I love Mexican chicken soup. So good.
This recipe makes about 4 quarts. It freezes nicely.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Other Vegetables. You can easily include other vegetables in your caldo de pollo. This soup was made to load it up. Some favorites include onion, carrots, celery, garlic, green chiles or dried pods, chayote, squash, black beans and others.
- Chili Peppers. I added some chiles de arbol to the stock making process, but I sometimes make this soup with dried ancho peppers and/or pasilla peppers or guajillo peppers. You can let them rehydrate in the stock, then remove them, mash or puree them, then swirl them back into the soup for a huge flavor boost.
- Tomatoes. Some recipes skip the tomatoes and tomato sauce for a clearer chicken stock base. It's really optional to you. I enjoy the added flavor of tomato.
- Easy Caldo de Pollo. If you'd like to save time, you can skip the stock making process and use a store bought chicken broth (or chicken bouillon) or stock instead.
Serving Caldo de Pollo
Enjoy your caldo de pollo with tortilla chips for a bit of crunch. Swirl in some sour cream if things get too spicy. Don't forget the hot sauce. I love to drizzle some in for a touch of heat.
Try your caldo de pollo with rice, pasta noodles, other grains. You can make yourself a Mexican chicken noodle soup with fideo noodles! Try this variation with Mexican meatballs - Albondigas Soup (Caldo de Albondigas).
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover caldo de pollo in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze it in vacuum sealed containers for up to 6 months. I freeze larger batches all the time.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this caldo de pollo recipe. It really is the ultimate Mexican chicken soup. It's so good! Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Mexican Pozole Rojo Recipe
- Pozole Verde (Green Pozole)
- Pollo Guisado (Chicken Stew)
- Chicken Mole
- Spaghetti Verde
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Green Enchilada Sauce
- Rajas Poblanas – Roasted Poblano Strips in Cream Sauce
- Mexican Picadillo
- Salsa Verde
- Salsa Roja
- Diablo Shrimp (Camarones a la Diabla)
- Michelada Recipe
- Pozole Blanco
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Caldo de Pollo Recipe (Mexican Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
FOR THE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
- 3 pounds chicken pieces use a whole chicken or your favorite pieces
- 8-10 cups water
- 1 large onion rough chopped
- 2 celery stalks rough chopped
- 10 cloves garlic rough chopped
- 5 chile de arbol peppers you can use other dried pods, if desired
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon salt
FOR THE CHICKEN SOUP
- 3 potatoes cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 carrots cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 zucchinis cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 jalapeno peppers sliced (if desired)
- 2 ears of corn quartered
- 3 medium sized tomatoes cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 head cabbage chopped
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- Juice from 1 lime
- Other optional vegetables and seasonings see recipe notes
FOR SERVING
- Spicy red pepper flakes fresh chopped cilantro, hot sauce, lime wedges
Instructions
MAKE THE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
- To a very large pot, add the chicken parts with the water, onion, celery, garlic, chiles de arbol, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. You can simmer longer if you'd like to develop more flavor.
- Carefully remove the chicken and set them into a large bowl. Shred the chicken from the bones and discard the bones. You can keep or discard the chicken skin, as desired. Set aside for now.
- Strain the chicken stock and discard the solids.
MAKE THE CALDO DE POLLO (Chicken Soup)
- Add the chicken stock back to the same large pot and heat to a simmer. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for 20 minutes. The vegetables should start to become tender.
- Add the zucchini, jalapenos, corn, tomatoes, cabbage and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have all become tender to your preference.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir in juice from 1 lime. Heat through. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Serve into bowls and garnish with red pepper flakes, fresh chopped cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges. Enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Jekel Godinez says
I made a lot. how long is it good to store in fridge? or how long after is it good? I made the soup Monday it's now Tuesday.
Mike Hultquist says
Jekel, this is listed in the Storage Information in the post: Store any leftover caldo de pollo in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in vacuum sealed containers for up to 6 months. I freeze larger batches all the time. -- Enjoy!!
Anne says
If I wanted to make this ahead and freeze it, what parts of the soup can I freeze together and what parts would need to be added in fresh to prevent them from over cooking and getting mushy? This looks delicious, but it’s just my husband and I at the house these days.
Mike Hultquist says
Anne, you CAN freeze the finished soup, but you're right, the veggies get quite soft. Best is to make the stock and freeze it. Then you can thaw enough and simmer with the potatoes and vegetables, etc, which will only take 30 minutes or so once it's all thawed. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!!
Mar says
Made this recipe, it was wonderful!
Also added yellow squash & cut the corn off the cob…yummy!
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! I love the additions! Thanks for sharing, Mar. =)
Amethyst42 says
I had to change a couple of things, because my kids can't handle a lot of hot peppers, and they hate zucchini. So I went easy on the hot peppers, and substituted bell peppers for zucchini.
Still, delicious!
Mike H. says
Glad you've enjoyed the customization - thank you!
Janice says
Can I use frozen corn kernels instead of corn on the cob for this soup?
Mike H. says
Yes, you can absolutely do that, Janice. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed since frozen corn kernels typically cook faster than fresh. Enjoy!
Michelle says
Did you use whole UNCOOKED chicken ?
Mike H. says
Michelle, I used 3 pounds chicken pieces, but you can use a whole chicken or your favorite pieces.