Caldo de Pollo

servings
Serves 6
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
30 minutes
Close-up of Caldo de Pollo with chicken pieces and vegetables.

A close-up view of Caldo de Pollo soup, showcasing chunks of chicken, vegetables, and a slice of avocado floating on top.

This is a traditional Mayan chicken soup.

Ingredients

  • •1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
  • •Salt and pepper to taste
  • •.5 Kg (1 pound) choco with summer squash as a substitute, cut into chunks
  • •6 cloves garlic, mashed
  • •60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped fresh cilantro
  • •120 ml (1/2 cup) chopped fresh mint
  • •15 ml (1 tablespoon) annatto paste
  • •5 ml (1 teaspoon) habanero powder
  • •.9 Kg (2 pounds) potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
  • •2 ripe plantain, cut into quarters
  • •Corn tortillas for serving

Preparation

  1. Place 2.8 liters (3 quarts) of water into a large soup pot and add the chicken pieces. Add the salt. Bring to a boil, then add the choco or squash and garlic, herbs, annatto and habanero powder. Reduce heat to a simmer  and cook for 30-45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the potatoes and plantain and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve with tortillas.

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About the author

A former Silicon Valley executive turned food and features journalist, Rachel Forrest eagerly sought out lavish 10-course fine dining experiences, but now that she lives in the jungle near a Yucatec Maya village in the Central American and Caribbean country of Belize, beans and rice are a staple meal. After seven years as an immigrant in this small country with its many cultures, she is navigating unfamiliar social norms and is embracing the new.  Each article in her column, This Belizean Life, is inspired by food, but also describes an aspect of daily life in Belize with all its quirks, adventures, and surprising encounters, all revealing something about what it means to be part of this wonderful community.

Photo credit: David J. Murray 

Rachel Forrest

Rachel Forrest

Rachel Forrest is a features journalist and former restaurant critic from the US now living near the Yucatec Maya village of Oxmul Kah (San Antonio) in the Cayo District of Belize. She lives in the jungle with her husband and way too many rescue dogs, aka “potlikkers.” Follow her on Instagram @RachelForrest. Find out more at https://www.rachel-forrest.com/. Coming soon, Explore Cayo, an online travel guide.

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