Paraben Free Caldo de Pollo

Total time1 hr 30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time1 hr 10 min

4.7

(29)

This soul-warming Mexican chicken soup is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients — bone-in chicken, fresh vegetables, and aromatics that do all the heavy lifting on flavor. For anyone navigating paraben sensitivities, the beauty here is that every single component is something you can pick up fresh: no packaged broths, no canned shortcuts, no preservative-laden seasoning blends to second-guess. The broth develops its richness naturally as the chicken simmers low and slow with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and black peppercorns, creating a deeply savory base that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. Hearty chunks of carrot, zucchini, chayote, corn, and cabbage make this a genuinely complete meal in a bowl. A handful of fresh cilantro and optional mint add brightness that no dried spice packet could replicate. 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 clean and straightforward as it gets.

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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)
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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