Caldo de Pollo

a clear, nourishing Mexican chicken soup of bone-in chicken and chunky vegetables simmered with laurel (Mexican bay), served with rice, lime, and chopped chilli, the comfort soup of every Mexican home

Origin: Mexico

From the journey of Bay Leaf.

Caldo de pollo is the chicken soup of Mexico, the homely, restorative broth that simmers on the stove of every household, the cure for a cold, a hangover, or a hard day, and a dish in which the Mexican bay, the native laurel, does its quiet work. Mexico has its own laurel, Litsea glaucescens, a cousin of the Mediterranean bay native to the country's highlands and sold in bunches in the markets, and a leaf or two of it goes into the pot to scent the broth as it cooks. Bone-in chicken is simmered gently with onion, garlic, and the laurel until the stock is rich and golden, then chunky vegetables, carrot, courgette, chayote, potato, and corn, are added and cooked until tender. The soup is served brothy and generous, often with a little rice or cooked chickpeas in the bowl, and finished at the table by each eater with a squeeze of lime, a scattering of chopped onion, coriander, and fresh chilli, and a warm tortilla alongside. Simple and sustaining, caldo de pollo shows the Mexican laurel in its everyday role as one of the standard aromatics, alongside cumin and oregano, of the Mexican kitchen.

Ingredients

The Broth

1.2 kg bone-in chicken pieces
2 litres water
0.5 onion, plus 2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves (Mexican laurel if available)
salt, to taste

The Vegetables

2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 courgettes, cut into chunks
1 chayote, peeled and cut into chunks
2 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 corn cob, cut into thick rounds

To Serve

lime wedges, chopped onion, coriander, chopped chilli, and warm tortillas, to serve

Method

Put the chicken in a large pot with the water, the onion half, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and skim off the foam that rises.
Lower to a gentle simmer, season with salt, and cook, partly covered, for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the broth is golden and flavourful.
Add the carrots, potatoes, corn, and chayote and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the courgette and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
Taste and adjust the salt. Fish out the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
Ladle into deep bowls, giving each a piece of chicken and a share of vegetables, and serve with rice if you like and the garnishes alongside.

Notes

Mexican laurel (Litsea glaucescens) gives the authentic note, but ordinary bay leaf is a fine substitute. The vegetables vary with the market and the household; chayote, corn, and potato are classic. Cooked rice or chickpeas are often added to the bowl. Leftover broth is the base for countless other dishes, from sopa de fideo to arroz.

The Gastrographer

Name: Caldo de Pollo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 1.2 kg bone-in chicken pieces; 2 litres water; 0.5 onion, plus 2 cloves garlic; 2 bay leaves (Mexican laurel if available); 2 carrots, cut into chunks; 2 courgettes, cut into chunks; 1 chayote, peeled and cut into chunks; 2 potatoes, peeled and quartered; 1 corn cob, cut into thick rounds; salt, to taste; lime wedges, chopped onion, coriander, chopped chilli, and warm tortillas, to serve

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control