This caldo de pollo, or Mexican chicken soup, is brimming with hearty pieces of tender chicken and wholesome veggies in a richly seasoned broth. Simple to make, nourishing, and guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly evening. Each spoonful offers a taste of homestyle comfort that’s hard to beat!
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Test Kitchen Review
Victoria
This was my first time making caldo de pollo, and it came out great and tastes just like it did when I had it in Mexico! I did end up adding more chicken bouillon, but it was still an amazing soup that I’ll be making anytime the weather cools off. In my house, we love spicy food, so next time, I might even try adding some blended rehydrated chiles.
Why We Love This Caldo de Pollo Recipe
There’s something so comforting about a big pot of caldo de pollo simmering away on the stove. For me, it’s the simplicity of the fresh ingredients and the way they create such a flavorful, nourishing soup that hits the spot every time. Similar to our caldo de res recipe, it’s a hearty vegetable filled soup in a rich, homemade broth that is packed with flavor. Here’s why we make this Mexican chicken soup over and over again:
- Hearty: This rustic soup is a complete meal in a bowl — protein, vegetables, and savory broth make it filling and satisfying for the whole family.
- So Much Flavor: Packed with fresh authentic Mexican flavors, you’ll savor each bite of the perfectly seasoned broth, tender chicken and hearty vegetables.
- Budget Friendly: This caldo de pollo recipe doesn’t require any fancy ingredients, making it budget-friendly without sacrificing flavor.
- Great For Meal Prep: The flavors only get better as it sits, so leftovers are just as delicious as the first bowl. You’ll want to make extra!
If you love Mexican soups, make sure to check out our caldo de albondigas (Mexican meatball soup), crockpot chicken pozole, and pork pozole verde!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for caldo de pollo. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Chicken: You can use a whole cut-up chicken or just thighs and legs, but don’t remove the bone or skin. This gives so much flavor and the skin can be removed before eating.
- Vegetables: White onion (or yellow), Roma tomatoes (as they are meatier with less juice), green cabbage, potatoes, carrots (fresh carrots, not baby carrots, have the most flavor), corn on the cob (fresh or frozen), a green bell pepper, and chayote squash.
- Chayote Squash: Traditional Mexican soup uses Chayote which is a small, rounder, light green squash that is similar to zucchini. You can use zucchini, or even a yellow squash, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Green Bell Pepper: Using green peppers enhances the other flavors. It’s important not to use red or yellow ones, because they are too sweet for this soup.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme (or dried works too), fresh mint, fresh oregano (or dried Mexican oregano) and cilantro.
- Mint: Mint is very important for this soup in many regions of Mexico. In Mexico, it’s called Yerba Buena, an aromatic herb of the mint family. You can always omit the mint, if you prefer.
- Cilantro: I know some of you out there don’t like cilantro, and that’s ok! You can omit it or you could use parsley and/or green onions.
- Chicken Bouillon: Chicken bouillon is a really simple way to boost the flavor of the stock.
- Lime: Adding a little fresh lime juice will bring all the flavors to life!
How to Make Caldo de Pollo
This comforting Mexican chicken soup recipe comes together with just a few simple steps! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Make the broth and cook the chicken: Grab a large stock pot and add the water, chicken, half of an onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Cook the diced onions, tomatoes, bell pepper, and celery: Add that mixture into the pot with the chicken. You’re going to want to take out the onion half. That was simply there to add flavor to the stock.
- Add the rest of the vegetables, herbs, and chicken bouillon: Stir so that everything is combined, and the bouillon dissolves.
- Add a whole bunch of cilantro: Let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Enjoy: The soup is done with the potatoes are tender. You might want to remove the cilantro, but it’s completely fine if you want to leave it in. I love adding a squirt of lime juice and a lime wedge for garnish with a little bit of fresh cilantro.
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Broth Depth: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken to deepen the broth’s flavor. Removing the bones before serving keeps it kid-friendly while still packing a savory punch. The chicken will fall right off the bones, so this will be really easy.
- Spice it Up: For a touch of heat, add sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers to the pot. Adjust to your family’s taste preference.
- Slow Cooker Option: If you prefer, let this soup simmer in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. The flavors meld beautifully over time.
- Better the Next Day: Now, I’m not saying don’t eat this soup as soon as you make it. Please, dive right in! But I think you’ll be more impressed when you eat it the next day. Trust me, the flavor becomes even richer and more delicious!
How to Serve Mexican Chicken Soup
Caldo de pollo is a hearty and rustic soup filled with large pieces of chicken and vegetables. When serving, use large bowls and feel free to use your hands if needed!
- Corn: If you prefer not to use your hands, you can cut the corn kernels off the cob. Add the corn kernels back to your soup bowl and toss the cob.
- Garnishes: Serve with fresh lime wedges, chopped cilantro, or diced avocado for a pop of flavor and color. Hot sauce is always great too!
- Add Rice: A classic variation is to add a scoop of rice to each bowl, which makes the soup even more filling and comforting.
- Bread, Tortillas or Chips: A warm fresh tortilla (corn tortillas or homemade flour tortillas) are always delicious, or you can also crush up a few tortilla chips. A batch of warm bolillos on the side would also be amazing!
Storing, Reheating, and Freezing
- Storing: Caldo de pollo makes the best leftovers! The soup can be stored air-tight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat the soup in the microwave (make sure you cover it with a paper towel) for about 3-5 minutes or until it’s hot. You can also use the stovetop to reheat the soup.
- Freezing: This soup will freeze well for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to move it to the fridge to thaw 2 days before you want to serve it for best results.
Yield: 10 servings
Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)
⭐️Test Kitchen Approved!⭐️This comforting caldo de pollo, or Mexican chicken soup, is brimming with tender chicken and wholesome veggies in a richly seasoned broth. Simple to make, nourishing, and guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly evening!
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups water, or low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 pounds chicken, whole cut up (or thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 large white onion, halved, one half left whole and the other diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 2 large potatoes, cubed
- 2 corn on the cob, each cob cut into 3 pieces
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch slices
- 2 chayote squash, or zucchini, cut into 3rds and sliced lengthwise into 4ths
- 1 sprig fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh Mexican Oregano, or ½ tsp dried Mexican Oregano
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 large bunch cilantro, divided, ½ chopped, half left whole
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
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Instructions
- Pour 8 cups of water into a large stock pot and add the chicken, the half onion (not diced), garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil and then cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the diced onions, tomatoes, bell pepper and celery to the pan and cook until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
- After the chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, pour the onion and tomato mixture into the chicken and remove the large onion piece from the pot of soup. Add the cabbage, potatoes, corn, carrots, squash, herbs, and chicken bouillon to the soup.
- Place the whole cilantro bunch on top of the soup and bring it back to a simmer. Cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are fork tender.
- Taste soup and season with more salt, or chicken bouillon, if desired. Remove cilantro pieces before serving, if you wish, or serve them in the soup. We go a little light on the salt/bouillon in the recipe…as it's always easy to add more to suit your tastes, but you can't take it out!
- Serve the soup garnished with more freshly chopped cilantro and a lime wedge.
Video
Notes
Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The flavors tend to deepen as it sits, making it even tastier the next day.
Reheat: Warm the soup in the microwave (make sure you cover it with a paper towel) for about 3 to 5 minutes or until it’s hot. You can also use the stovetop to reheat the soup.
Freeze: If you’d like to freeze it, let the soup cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 304kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 359mg, Potassium: 642mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3389IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 2mg
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Yeah, no. NO MINT for me, did add a nice pinch of cumin, and used the zucchini, adding all those wonderful veggies at the 20 min mark still left them with a bit of bite, which was enjoyed. not mushy. Had to make Mex. rice with homemade tortillas and homemade salsa from my garden. Wow, so satisfying on this cold chilly day. Keeper for this winter !
I have precooked chicken that I made yesterday but no chicken broth. What do you suggest I do to make the caldo? Should I buy chicken broth?
Hi Dennise, to be totally honest, I would honestly recommend waiting until you had fresh chicken. You will never get the depth of flavor that makes this soup so good by using already cooked chicken and store bought broth.
What can I use instead of the bouillon?
Brown chicken in pot before adding water, and add salt. This should enhance the chicken flavor nicely. I will likely do that anyway.
Hi Mirna, the bouillon adds salt and a more intense chicken flavor. It really helps to flavor up the broth a lot! However, if you don’t have it, you can just add additional salt to taste!
This is a great looking recipe. However, whatever chicken dish you’re making, it’s critical to start with a good-quality bird, not a supermarket brand like Perdue or Tyson — they have no flavor. Use a free-range organic chicken, or one from a quality brand like Belle & Evans, and you will not need to add any bouillon.
In this recipe you could also add some hominy.
This is a wonderful recipe. It takes me back to my childhood. I love all the fresh vegetables and herbs. You don’t want to leave out the fresh lime and cilantro to finish it off. It compliments this soup recipe so much! It’s definitely even better the second day.
Made this and my mom said it tastes like my abuelas!
Follow directions and this will come out so good. Just as I remember it, from my childhood. Tasty, warm and has so many good veggies in it.
Couldn’t you use a can of chopped green chilies instead of thd green pepper??
Sure!
I added 1 jalapeño whole to add a little kick it came out great