Caldo de Pollo Estilo Semana
Caldo de Pollo Estilo Semana·(kahl-doh de po-yo es-tee-lo se-ma-na)
Sopitas para el Alma (The Food Mom Made When We Were Sick)
This is the culinary equivalent of an abuela’s embrace, deployed for everything from a winter cold to a broken heart. The secret to that deeply savory, transportive flavor isn't a powdered bouillon cube; it's the unyielding extraction of collagen from bone-in chicken and a late hit of fresh mint. We rely on the modern pressure cooker—a utilitarian workhorse Mexican grandmothers have actually embraced for decades—to pull every ounce of soul from those bones in a fraction of the time, leaving you with a golden broth that tastes exactly like home on a busy Tuesday.
Before you start
Prep the vegetables in advance.
Because the pressure cooker works fast, having your vegetables chopped and segregated by their cooking phase will save you a headache once the lid comes off.
Ingredients
- bone-in skin-on chicken pieces2 lb
- white onion1/2 large
- garlic cloves4 med
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- water8 cup
- carrots2 large
- ears corn on the cob2 med
- chayote squash1 large
- waxy potatoes2 med
- zucchini2 med
- white cabbage1/4 small
- fresh mint sprigs4 med
- fresh cilantro1 small bunch
- cooked rice2 cup
- limes2 med
Method
- 01
Extract the bone collagen under pressure.
Place the chicken pieces, onion half, smashed garlic, and salt into an electric pressure cooker, cover with the water, and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- 02
Strain the broth and shred the meat.
Quick-release the pressure, then use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool; discard the spent onion and garlic so you're left with a pristine, golden liquid.
- 03
Simmer the hard vegetables first.
Switch the cooker to the sauté function, add the carrots, corn, and chayote, and simmer gently for 10 minutes to soften them without destroying their structure.
- 04
Add the potatoes and prep the chicken.
Drop in the potatoes to simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes while you pull the cooled chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin and cartilage.
- 05
Add the soft vegetables and the shredded chicken.
Return the shredded meat to the pot along with the zucchini and cabbage wedges.
- 06
Steep the crucial herbs off the heat.
Turn off the cooker completely, submerge the fresh mint and cilantro directly into the hot broth, cover, and let sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes to extract those volatile essential oils without obliterating the greens.
- 07
Assemble the bowls.
Place a scoop of warm rice at the bottom of each wide bowl, ladle the hot broth and chunky vegetables generously over the top, and serve immediately with fresh lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
Bone-in chicken is strictly non-negotiable.
Do not use boneless, skinless breasts for the base; the cartilage and skin are entirely responsible for the broth's restorative, lip-smacking texture.
Staggering the vegetables is critical.
The golden rule of an authentic caldo is sequential cooking. Dumping all the vegetables in at once guarantees an unappetizing, mushy stew.
Chayote substitutions.
If you can't find chayote at your local market, swap in a couple of peeled turnips or just rely on extra zucchini added at the very end.
From Cook Mexican in America.