Emulsifier Free Caldo de Pollo

Total time1 hr 30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time1 hr 10 min

This soul-warming Mexican chicken soup is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients — bone-in chicken, garden vegetables, aromatics, and water — making it a naturally clean bowl with zero additives to second-guess. For anyone navigating emulsifier-free eating, packaged soups and broths can be a minefield of lecithins, polysorbates, and other stabilizers hiding in the ingredient list. Here, the rich, golden broth comes entirely from slow-simmering chicken with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and black peppercorns, so every drop of flavor is earned the old-fashioned way. Chunky carrots, zucchini, chayote, corn, and cabbage make this a genuinely hearty one-pot meal rather than a thin starter. A handful of fresh cilantro and optional mint add brightness to the broth without any processed flavor enhancers in sight. Finish each bowl with a squeeze of lime, a pinch of dried oregano, and a warm corn tortilla on the side, and you have comfort food that's as wholesome as it looks.

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or a mix)
10 cups water
1 medium white onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 medium tomatoes, halved
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium chayotes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 ears of corn, cut into 3 rounds each
½ small head of cabbage, cut into 3 wedges
4 sprigs fresh cilantro
2 sprigs fresh mint (optional)

For serving

lime wedges, for serving (optional)
warm corn tortillas, for serving (optional)
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dried oregano, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the chicken pieces in a large pot (6-quart or larger) and cover with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then use a ladle or spoon to skim off any gray foam that rises to the surface, about 3–4 minutes.
2
Add the quartered onion, smashed garlic, halved tomatoes, black peppercorns, and 1 tsp salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 30 minutes.

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