Name: Caldo de Pollo
Yield: Serves 4, plus leftovers
Ingredients: 2 lb chicken (whole or in pieces); ¾ large white onion, roughly chopped; 7 garlic cloves, sliced; ½ cup dried chickpeas (optional), soaked for at least 1 hour; 1 sprig fresh mint; 3 small carrots, cut into medium dice; 3 fingerling potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces; 1 chayote squash, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces; 2 small zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces; 1 Tbsp. salt, or more to taste; ¼ large white onion, finely chopped; 3 serrano chiles, finely diced; ½ cup chopped cilantro; 1 avocado, cubed; Key lime wedges; Tortillas, for serving

A bowl of soup with chicken carrot green peppers and cilantro with half a lime on the side.

Photo by Enrique Olvera & Luis Arellano

Consomé or caldo de pollo is one of the recipes that most reminds any Mexican of home. On a normal day, it is a delicious, filling-but-light soup. When you are sick or under the weather, it can lift up your spirits like few foods can. You can use a whole chicken or just thighs and legs, but I always prefer using bone-in chicken as it adds much more flavor. Scale this caldo de pollo recipe up or down based on your needs, knowing that this dish makes great leftovers. Squeeze a bit of Key lime into your bowl for a touch of brightness.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Tu Casa Mi Casa’ by Enrique Olvera and Luis Arellano. Buy the full book on Amazon. Click through for more classic Mexican soups →

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