This Mexican chicken soup recipe (caldo de pollo) is perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather or during the chilly Fall and Winter months. It’s really delicious and the whole family will love it! Next you’ll have to try my Mexican meatball soup.

There’s nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of Mexican chicken soup when you’re not feeling well.
It’s an easy recipe but so filling and flavorful.
Caldo de pollo is also inexpensive.
I like to make it when I have veggies I need to use up before they go bad.
What is Mexican soup made of?
This Mexican style chicken soup is pretty simple it consists of:
- chicken drumsticks
- whole carrots
- celery
- gold potatoes
- cabbage
- white onion
- garlic cloves
- Knorr chicken bouillon
- Sazon Goya with culantro and achiote
- bay leaves
- black pepper
- water
Corn on the cob, Mexican squash and zucchini are some other great vegetables you could add to this soup.
This is what the Sazon Goya looks like. You should be able to find it in the Latin American aisle of your local grocery.

Should I remove the skin when making chicken soup?
This is completely up to you. I prefer to remove the skin as I find the soup too greasy for my liking if I leave it on.
What can I add to my chicken soup to give it flavor?
In this recipe the chicken is going to simmer for over an hour with the onion, garlic cloves, chicken bouillon, Sazon Goya, bay leaves and black pepper.
Those ingredients are what’s going to give the soup it’s flavor.
The chicken bouillon and Sazon add flavor and some saltiness which will likely omit the need for plain salt in this recipe.
After serving you can always add salt to your bowl if you feel it needs it.
I really like using the chicken bouillon and Sazon because they both add more flavor to the soup than if I was just using salt.
For some spice my husband likes to add a little of this salsa macha to his bowl of soup.
How to make caldo de pollo
Peel and chop the carrots and put them in a bowl. Next chop the celery and add to the bowl as well. Set aside.

Next peel and chop the potatoes. Put them in a bowl and cover with water.
This will prevent the potatoes from browning. Set the potatoes aside.

Next chop the cabbage and rinse it really well under running water. Set the cabbage aside.

Now put the chicken drumsticks in a large pot and add the onion, garlic cloves, chicken bouillon, Sazon Goya, bay leaves and black pepper.
Next add the water to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Now add the carrots and celery to the pot. Then the potatoes but make sure to drain them first. Then add the cabbage.

Cover and continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
I don’t remove the garlic cloves from the caldo.
What I do is just remove them and the bay leaves when I serve the soup.

What to serve with caldo de pollo
Caldo de pollo (Mexican chicken soup) is best served over rice and with warm corn tortillas.
Chopped cilantro and sliced avocado are great garnishes and you can’t forget the fresh squeezed lime juice.
The fresh squeezed lime juice really helps to bring out the flavor of the soup.
Looking for more delicious soup recipes? Try these:
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How to make Mexican chicken soup
This delicious Mexican soup is sure to impress all your friends and family.
It’s a comforting and delicious dish that will fill your loved one’s tummies.
I hope you will enjoy this recipe.
Let me know what you think of it in the comments below.
Thanks for visiting, see you soon!


Mexican Chicken Soup (Caldo de Pollo)
Mexican chicken soup is the perfect recipe for when you're feeling under the weather or during the chilly Fall and Winter months.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken drumsticks skin removed
- 4 whole carrots
- 1 cup celery
- 3 gold potatoes
- 1/4 head of cabbage
- 1/2 white onion peeled
- 5 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/4 cup Knorr chicken bouillon
- 1 packet Sazon Goya
- 2 bay leaves
- cracked black pepper
- 4 quarts water
- limes for squeezing into the soup
Instructions
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Peel and chop the carrots. Put them in a bowl. Chop the celery and add to the bowl as well. Set the bowl aside.
-
Peel and chop the potatoes. Put them in a bowl and cover with water. Set aside.
-
Chop the cabbage and rinse it really well under running water. Set aside.
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Put the chicken drumsticks in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves, chicken bouillon, Sazon Goya, bay leaves and a few cracks of black pepper.
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Next add the water to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
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After 45 minutes add the carrots and celery to the pot. Drain the potatoes then add them to the pot. Then add the cabbage.
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Cover and continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
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Serve the soup over rice. As you serve remove the garlic cloves and bay leaves.
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Garnish the soup with cilantro and avocado (optional). Also squeeze some lime juice over it.
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Enjoy!
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