Make Caldo de Pollo All Year Long

August 7, 2024

By Miguel Guerrero

Caldo de pollo, or Mexican chicken soup, is comforting no matter the weather. My mama had a penchant for making it even during a heat wave. You start by simmering chicken with garlic, bay leaves, and onion to create a richly flavored broth. Add in your favorite vegetables like carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and corn.

I've added an optional twist to my mama's original recipe (a tiny rebellion that gives it an extra kick): a quick blender salsa that gets stirred into the pot along with the veggies. You know, just in case you want to sweat it out a bit more!

Caldo de Pollo

Miguel Guerrero

Servings

Ingredients

blank

1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs) or bone-in, skin on quarters
4 cloves garlic
½ white onion
4 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 russet potatoes, cut into eighths
2 zucchini, sliced in ½ inch chunks
4 whole ears of corn, halved
Cilantro (use 1 whole bunch with stems, or ¾ cup roughly chopped)
½ cabbage head, cut into eighths

blank

4 Roma tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 white onion
1 serrano pepper
1 tsp oregano
Pinch of cumin
Broth from pot, enough to blend, 1-1.5 cups

blank

Corn tortillas
Lime wedges
Chopped jalapeños
Pura Macha

Directions

In a large pot, add chicken, garlic, bay leaves, onion, and salt, and cover with water (leaving room for the vegetables that will be added). Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook for 1 hour.
In a blender, add the tomatoes, white onion, serrano pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin, and enough broth from the pot to blend. Blend until smooth.
Skim and discard any foam from the top of the pot, as well as the garlic and bay leaves.
Before adding the vegetables, you can break apart or shred the chicken if you prefer.
Add the salsa, along with potatoes, corn, zucchini, carrots, and cabbage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cilantro (either chopped or as a whole bunch). Taste for salt and season to your preference.
Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Ladle into bowls and serve with tortillas, jalapeños, lime, and Pura Macha.

12 comments

ROSA ALVAREZ | July 27, 2026

Muchas gracias por la receta espero q mi caldo quede delicioso 😋

MARIANNE | July 13, 2026

Was delicious!!! Thank you!

RON H | June 18, 2026

Great soup!..Reminds me of the days when I was a young food server in a Mexican rst,..the cook was a seasoned Mexican..He would always track me down to taste his Caldo de pollo!

DJ | April 29, 2026

This looks SO delicious…reminds me of my childhood growing up in Indio, CA. Thank you so much for the recipe. Can’t wait to master it. The video was fabulous too; and I loved the song playing….moved me to tears. Gives you that beautiful “going home” feeling. ❤️

LORA VALDEZ | February 3, 2026

I made this last week and it was wonderful! We had enough for 4 people to enjoy it for 3 days.

YAJAIRA CORONADO ZELEDÓN | January 26, 2026

Exelente receta sería bueno. Que subas más recetas.
Gracias

MASIENDA | January 12, 2026

Hola Isabel! Puedes encontrar recetas de enchiladas en el horno aquí, donde encontrarás las instrucciones para hornearlas.

https://masienda.com/es/blogs/learn/summer-corn-enchiladas-suizas
https://masienda.com/blogs/learn/butternut-squash-enchiladas

ISABEL | January 12, 2026

Cuanto tiempo dura unas enchiladás de Pollo para hacerlás en él horno

JUANITA BARRIOS | October 9, 2025

Se ve rico es casi como el que yo preparo, muchas gracias por su receta. Un consejo yo primero pongo el agua a hervir depues pongo el pollo asi no se hace espuma por ensima.

SERGIO LARES | September 18, 2025

Se ve buena la voy a probar, buen dia

1 2 Next »