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Caldo xóchitl
Chicken, rice and chickpea broth
Caldo xóchitl: Mexico City's light chicken broth with rice, chickpeas and vegetables, finished with avocado and lime
Caldo xóchitl, named after the Nahuatl word for flower, is the restorative chicken soup of Mexico City's fondas and markets, eaten at lunch on cool days, after a late night or when someone is unwell. A clear broth with chicken, rice, chickpeas, courgette and carrot is served with a spread of chopped onion, coriander, serrano chilli, avocado and lime so everyone builds their own bowl. A portion gives about 24 g of protein, from the chicken and chickpeas, for around 360 kcal. The common mistake is boiling it hard, which clouds the broth and toughens the chicken; keep it at a lazy simmer and skim the foam. The chicken must reach 74 °C in the thickest part and the meat should pull easily from the bone. Chef's tip: cook the rice in the broth only for the last 18 minutes and serve straight away; left to sit, it drinks up the broth and turns soft.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the broth
- 2 ¼ lb bone-in chicken piecesthighs and drumsticks, skin removed
- 2.5 litre water
- 1 white onionhalved
- 3 cloves garlicpeeled
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz long-grain ricerinsed
- 2 carrotsdiced
- 2 courgettesdiced
- 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas1 tin, drained and rinsed
To serve
- ½ white onionfinely chopped
- ⅔ oz corianderchopped
- 2 serrano chilliesfinely chopped
- 2 avocadosdiced
- 2 limesin wedges
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb bone-in chicken pieces, 2.5 litre water, 1 white onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves and 2 tsp salt in a large pot and bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat. Skim off the grey foam as it rises.
15 minStep 2: Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through (165°F at the bone) and the meat pulls away easily.
30 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken and fish out the onion, garlic and bay. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it and discard the bones.
Step 4: Bring the broth back to a simmer, add 3 ½ oz long-grain rice and 2 carrots and cook for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Add 2 courgettes, 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas and the shredded chicken and simmer until the rice and vegetables are just tender.
8 minStep 6: Taste for salt. Ladle into bowls and serve at once with ½ white onion, ⅔ oz coriander, 2 serrano chillies, 2 avocados and 2 limes for everyone to add as they like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does caldo xóchitl take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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