caldo Xóchitl

This is a traditional Mexican chicken soup from before the Spanish conquest.  One of my go-to comfort foods. The ingredients really highlight flavors indigenous to the Americas. The garnishes are what really make it, promise. 

The best chicken soup

One of the simplest and tastiest chicken soups you’ll ever have. Easy to make and you can save the broth + chicken separately to build other weeknight meals. There are other recipes that include vegetables like carrots and zucchini, I like to keep a simple base.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Method: Simmer

Category: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Equipment

• stockpot

Ingredients

• - Broth:
• (best if you use a whole chicken carcass for all the meat + bone flavor in the broth. I use bone in chicken thighs cus it’s easiest for me. Drumsticks are also a good idea.)
• 2lbs of any bone in chicken (I do 4-6 chicken thighs)
• 2 garlic bulbs, whole
• 1/2 yellow onion, the entire half
• 2 tbsp salt, more to taste if needed
• 8 peppercorns
• 8 coriander seeds
• - Garnish (sprinkle for each dish):
• chopped cilantro
• diced white onion
• diced jalapeño or serrano pepper
• diced avocado
• fresh lime juice
• (optional when in season) squash flower blossom strips

Instructions

1. Add chicken pieces and the other broth ingredients to a stock pot filled with water to cover the chicken. Bring to boil and reduce to medium low to simmer.
2. Skim off any foam or scum on the surface as it comes up.
3. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, longer if you want a more concentrated flavor. No more than 3 hours or your meat will fall apart too much.
4. dice up your garnishes while your broth is simmering to save time when you are ready to serve
5. Taste broth for salt and add more if needed
6. Remove the chicken (carefully) and set aside so you can shred it up once it’s cool to handle. I like to keep my shredded chicken separate from this point.
7. Remove the onion and garlic chunks, dont need it anymore. Discard/compost.
8. You can strain your broth for a super “clean” liquid before serving but if you dont care about little bits of things dont worry about it
9. To serve: add some shredded chicken to a bowl, ladle some broth over the chicken. Squeeze 1/2 lime juice into your bowl, and add a sprinkle of the other garnishes just before eating.

Print Recipe

It's much easier to keep the shredded chicken separate from the broth to portion out plates and then save for another meal later in the week. Great for enchiladas, chicken over rice, and much more.

I love to eat this soup with some fresh corn tortillas and a side of beans. Telling you, it's surprisingly simple and beautiful.

Some more optional ingredients: 

• A bit of white rice in the bowl when serving, adds some heartiness to it

• add garbanzo beans to cooking liquid 15 mins before serving to soften 

• add diced carrots and zucchini to cooking liquid 15 minutes before serving to soften

If you're thinking this is mighty close to a pozole recipe, you are right! This would make the perfect base for chicken pozole as well. Freeze the broth in portions (including the shredded chicken) and add hominy, oregano, and dried chili sauce for a quick weeknight pozole meal.