Caldo De Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup) – The Bossy Kitchen (2024)

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, served up in a delicious tomato broth.

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!

❓ 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 across 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. You will also find wedges of lime 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, or Tinga de Pollo.

💝Why You Will Love This Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe

• Comforting: This classic Mexican chicken caldo is one of our favorites and is in heavy rotation from November to April especially during the winter months.
• Simple Ingredients: A good soup that uses basic kitchen staples like chicken, rice, cilantro, and vegetables for an authentic and easy-to-prepare comfort food 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.

📝 Ingredients

Here's a look at the simple ingredients you need to make this Mexican soup recipe. 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 entire 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.

• 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.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Caldo de Pollo

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

See Also

Mexican Tomato Soup - Plain ChickenTraditional Mexican Sopa (Soup) Recipe | Muy DelishMexican Bean Soup ( Slow cooker option)35+ Instant Pot Mexican Recipes (Muy Deliciosas!)

• 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.

• 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.

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.

❄️ How To Store

• Refrigerator: This homemade caldo 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. Here are some other favorites to try!

📖 Recipe