High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Paleo Mexican Chicken Soup (Caldo de Pollo)
This soul-warming Mexican chicken soup is built entirely from whole, real ingredients — bone-in chicken, garden vegetables, and a fragrant broth seasoned with cumin, garlic, and dried bay leaves. There's no need to scan a label or second-guess a store-bought shortcut here, because everything in the pot is exactly what it looks like. Packaged broths and seasoning blends are notorious for sneaking in sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, but this recipe sidesteps all of that by building deep, savory flavor from scratch with water, aromatics, and time. The result is a rich, golden broth loaded with tender shredded chicken and chunky rounds of carrot, zucchini, chayote, and celery — hearty enough to be a full meal. A halved serrano pepper simmers in the pot for gentle heat, and a handful of fresh cilantro stirred in at the end keeps everything bright and alive. Finish your bowl with a squeeze of lime and a few crisp radish slices, and you've got a classic caldo de pollo that's as clean and nourishing as it gets.
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Learn more →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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