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Make Caldo de Pollo in the Slow Cooker! Filled with a flavorful broth, tender chicken and lots of vegetables. You will love the flavor of this comforting soup.
If you love a good soup, then you’ve got to try this easy Caldo De Pollo. I like to describe it as a Mexican Stew, and very healthy too. Using my crockpot method, this is a mostly hands-off meal.
Let your slow cooker do the work and come home to a wonderful cozy meal.
Key Ingredients
Chicken: I use chicken leg quarters because they stay tender and give the broth the best flavor.
Broth Base: Chicken broth plus a little tomato sauce makes it richer and gives it that classic caldo color.
Seasonings: Garlic, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, and oregano keep it simple but make it taste as grandma made it.
Vegetables: Big chunks of carrots, celery, yellow potatoes, zucchini, white onion, and corn make this soup hearty and filling.
How to Make Caldo De Pollo
- Season the chicken and pour in the broth to build the caldo base.
- Let it cook until the chicken is tender and the veggies are soft.
- Add the zucchini near the end, shred the chicken, then stir in the cilantro.
Tips & Variations
Chicken Cut: You can use any cut of chicken in this! Boneless won’t have as much flavor but will still be great.
Spice: This is a mild soup, if you want heat, add 1-2 diced jalapenos.
More broth: Add 1-2 extra cups of chicken broth if you like it soupier.
More Veggies: You can add cabbage, green beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, chayote, at the beginning, and stir in cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, kale, or peas near the end like the zucchini.
Add Noodles: Boil one cup of noodles (such as ditalini) and add right before serving.
Add Beans: Add one can of drained pinto beans for more protein.
How to Serve Crockpot Caldo De Pollo
Toppings: Our favorite toppings for this soup are diced onion, avocado, lime juice, sliced jalapeños, hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips.
Sides: Want to make this more hearty? Try serving with warm corn or flour tortillas, rice, refried beans, chips and salsa.
Can a Rotisserie Chicken be used?
Yes! Shred an entire rotisserie chicken and add it at the beginning of the cooking time. Add one more cup of broth.
Slow Cooker Caldo de Pollo
How to Video
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. chicken leg quarters, about 3 leg quarters
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 1 lb. small gold potatoes, halved (any potato type works)
- 1 large white onion, cut into large chunks
- 2-3 ears of corn, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
WAIT TO ADD
- 2 zucchini, (or yellow squash) cut into large chunks
- 1/8 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken leg quarters under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Place the chicken at the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer.
- Add the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, and oregano over the chicken.
- Pour in the chicken broth and tomato sauce, stirring gently to combine. Make sure the chicken is fully submerged in the liquid.
- Layer the carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, and corn on top of the chicken.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 4-5 hours. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking to keep the heat and steam inside.
- About 1 hour before the cooking time is up, add the zucchini to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine without breaking up the other vegetables.
- Once the chicken is tender and falling off the bone, carefully remove it from the slow cooker using tongs. Let it cool slightly on a plate, then discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the slow cooker.
- Just before serving, stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
How to Store
This easy Caldo de Pollo will last in the fridge for about 4 days – you may need to add more broth. For freezing, you’ll want to remove the potatoes and zucchini, as they don’t freeze well. The soup will last 3 months in the freezer.
More Slow Cooker Mexican Soups
Mexican Chicken Soup and Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup are flavorful, comforting meals made for busy nights and cozy dinners.
Refried Bean Soup and Creamy Taco Soup are rich, satisfying soups packed with bold Tex-Mex flavor.
Chicken Fajita Soup and Chicken Chile Relleno Soup bring classic Mexican-inspired flavors to an easy slow cooker meal.
