Caldo de Pollo

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Caldo de Pollo is a comforting and flavorful Mexican chicken soup made with tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a rich, savory broth. It’s warm, nourishing, and perfect for cozying up on a chilly day!

Overhead shot of Caldo de pollo in a pot.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Packed with Fresh Ingredients: Loaded with tender chicken and hearty vegetables, Caldo de Pollo is a good-for-you meal that’s super filling.
  • Comfort in a Bowl: Warm, nourishing, and perfect for cold days or when you’re just craving something soothing. Serve with rice, warm tortillas, or homemade cornbread for a complete meal.
  • Great for Leftovers: The flavors deepen over time, making it even more delicious the next day!

It’s Worth The Hype

You guys! Caldo de Pollo is my new go-to chicken soup. I am in love with the incredibly bright flavors that meld while they slowly simmer on the stovetop. The ingredients are similar to traditional chicken noodle soup. The differences are potatoes, chicken thighs, tomatoes, jalapeno, and corn. Just trust me and go make it already! It’s perfect to cozy up to on a cold day.

Ingredients Needed

Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

How to Make Caldo de Pollo

Making Caldo de Pollo is easier than you think! Simply simmer the chicken with veggies, then blend to create a rich, flavorful broth. Lastly, add the carrots, potatoes, and corn for a hearty and wholesome meal. Finish with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro for the perfect comforting bowl of soup.

  1. Cook: Heat the water in a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, onion, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently boil for 20 minutes.
  2. Blend Vegetables: Remove 1 cup of the broth and then pour it into a blender. Use a small strainer to remove the onion, jalapeño, and garlic from the water, then add them to the blender. Add the chicken bouillon, oregano, and Roma tomatoes, then blend the veggies until smooth. 
  3. Shred the Chicken: Take the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks.
  4. Continue to Cook and Serve: Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the vegetable puree, carrots, and potatoes. Cover and gently boil for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Serve the soup fresh with toppings like cilantro, lime juice, hot sauce, or Mexican Rice.
Overhead shot of a large pot with the water, chicken, onions, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper added.
Side shot of ingredients and broth added to a blender.
Overhead shot of the chicken shredded on a cutting board.
Angle shot of someone pouring blended ingredients back into the pot with other vegetables.

Caldo de Pollo Tips and Variations

This Mexican chicken soup is easy to make and so versatile. Follow my tips and variations below to make this tasty recipe.

  • What chicken can I use? Use any chicken pieces you prefer in this soup! Feel free to use a whole chicken, drumsticks, or chicken breast. Using bone-in chicken in this recipe will add so much flavor and create a good chicken stock base for the soup.
  • What potatoes are best for this soup? Use any potato you prefer! I’ve used Yukon gold and red potatoes in this soup, and it’s fantastic!
  • Can I use different vegetables? You can add or remove any of the veggies to your liking. Try adding zucchini, beans, or cabbage!
  • What if I can’t handle spice? Omit the jalapeño if you aren’t a fan of spice. Although, this amount doesn’t lend too much heat, especially if you remove the seeds.

Overhead shot of a bowl of Caldo de pollo.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Caldo de Pollo

Caldo de Pollo is great to heat up for a quick lunch throughout the week. Here are my tips for proper storage.

  • Fridge: Keep this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
  • Freezer: This soup can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat: Reheat leftovers over the stove or in the microwave! You may need to add some water to add moisture. The potatoes will absorb some of the liquid as they are stored.

Close up shot of a bowl of Caldo de pollo.

More Soup Recipes

Whether you’re craving a rich and creamy soup, a hearty stew, or a flavorful chili, I have a huge collection of soup recipes. Perfect for fall and winter, they’re easy to make and so warm and cozy! Here are some of our favorites to try next!

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  • Heat the 8 cups water in a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 medium onion, 1 jalapeño pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently boil for 20 minutes.

  • Remove 1 cup of the broth and pour it into a blender. Use a small strainer to remove the onion, jalapeño, and garlic from the water then add them to the blender. Add 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 3 Roma tomatoes. Blend the vegetables until smooth.

  • Take the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks.

  • Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the vegetable puree, 3 medium chopped carrots, 3 ribs chopped celery, 3 ears corn, and 2 large chopped russet potatoes. Cover and gently boil until the vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

  • Serve the soup fresh with toppings like cilantro, lime, hot sauce, or Mexican Rice.

Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 26gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 1017mgPotassium: 1064mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5506IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Published by Staff Reporter