Rice 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 around a rich, slow-simmered broth loaded with tender vegetables and fall-off-the-bone chicken — no grains, no fillers, just pure, clean comfort in a bowl. The base comes together with whole aromatics like smashed garlic, quartered onion, and halved tomatoes that steep into the broth and then get removed, leaving behind incredible depth of flavor. Chunky carrots, chayote, zucchini, corn, and cabbage make this a genuinely hearty one-pot meal that doesn't need anything starchy to feel satisfying. For anyone navigating a rice-free lifestyle, soups like this can be tricky because so many versions lean on grains to bulk them up — here, the vegetables do all that work beautifully. A squeeze of lime and a pinch of dried oregano at the table brighten everything up and let you customize each bowl. Warm corn tortillas on the side are optional but make the whole experience feel like a proper, celebratory meal straight from an abuela's kitchen.

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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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