Caldo de Gallina
A warming Peruvian chicken and potato soup with fresh cilantro and lime. Comfort in a bowl, ready in under 40 minutes.
- Total time
- 38 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 34g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken breast, skin-on and bone-in
- 1 lb yellow potatoes, medium
- 1 whole yellow onion, medium
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 1 whole lime
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Cut the onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, leaving the skin on—this keeps it intact while the broth simmers and flavors the liquid.
- 2
Scrub each potato under cold water to remove dirt, then cut each one in half (or into 1.5-inch chunks if they are large) so they cook evenly.
- 3
Coarsely chop the cilantro (stems and leaves together) and set it aside in a small bowl for later.
- 4
Place the chicken, potatoes, and onion halves in a 6-quart pot and cover with 8 cups of cold water, then add 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 5
Bring the water to a boil over high heat—you'll see large bubbles rolling rapidly across the surface, about 8–10 minutes.
- 6
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently (small bubbles breaking the surface) for 25 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and pulls away easily from the bone.
- 7
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool for 2 minutes, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones.
- 8
Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding the onion and keeping the potatoes in the pot.
- 9
Return the strained broth and shredded chicken to the pot with the potatoes and stir once to combine.
- 10
Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice directly into the pot, then stir gently.
- 11
Taste the broth and add a pinch more salt if needed, then ladle into bowls and scatter a generous handful of chopped cilantro on top of each.
Tools you’ll need
- 6-quart pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- fine-mesh strainer
- large bowl
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- small bowl
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