Myrna Engler’s Mexican Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)
Myrna Engler has been making Caldo de Pollo, Mexican Chicken Soup, since her mom taught her the recipe years ago.
Ingredients
6 skinless drumsticks
2 skinless, bone-in chicken breasts
1 red onion, quartered
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tomato, diced
1 large yellow squash, diced
1 large zucchini, sliced in ¼-inch rounds
4 large carrots, cut in ¼-inch rounds
¼ head cabbage, sliced thin
6 baby russet potatoes, quartered
4 cobs of corn, each cut in fourths
Garnishes: lime, chopped onions, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla strips or corn tortillas
Directions
- For the stock: Place chicken in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add onion, celery, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper, and add enough water to cover. Boil over high heat, then simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. The stock is done when the meat falls off the drumsticks. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Strain the stock into a large bowl or another large pot, saving the solids, and returning them and the stock to the pot. When the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the drumsticks and shred or dice the chicken breasts.
- Place the cooked chicken and the fresh vegetables back in the pot with the stock, and add chicken stock or water if needed to cover. Let the soup cook for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to overcook the vegetables. Serve with sides of lime wedges, chopped onions, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado and tortilla strips or corn tortillas.