Eggless Paleo Mexican Chicken Soup (Caldo de Pollo)

Total time1 hr 25 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time1 hr 5 min

4.6

(20)

Eggless Paleo Mexican Chicken Soup (Caldo de Pollo)

This soul-warming Mexican chicken soup is built on a deeply savory, slow-simmered broth that gets its richness entirely from bone-in chicken pieces, aromatics, and a handful of whole spices — no shortcuts, no fillers. Quartered onion, smashed garlic, cumin, and a halved serrano pepper steep into the liquid as the chicken cooks, creating a broth that tastes like it took all day even when it didn't. Chunky rounds of carrot, celery, chayote squash, and zucchini are added in stages so every vegetable hits the bowl at exactly the right tenderness. The whole thing is naturally free of eggs at every step — no binders, no noodle doughs, nothing hidden — so it's genuinely clean eating without any substitutions required. A handful of fresh cilantro stirred in at the end brightens the whole pot, and a squeeze of lime at the table takes it over the top. Serve it with sliced radishes for a little crunch and you've got a complete, comforting meal that feels both nourishing and festive.

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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 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch half-moons
1 chayote squash, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, halved (seeds removed for mild heat)

For serving

lime wedges, for serving (optional)
sliced radishes, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the chicken pieces in a large 6–8 qt pot 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, bay leaves, serrano pepper, cumin, 2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 30 minutes.

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