Guatemalan Caldo de Pollo
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This unfussy rustic soup is full of authentic Guatemalan ingredients like güicoy and güisquil.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds and cut into parts
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 4 whole peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 large carrots, cut into large, 1-2 chucks
- 2 large or 8 small potatoes, cut in half if using large
- 2 güisquil, peeled (wearing gloves) and cut into four large pieces each
- 3 roma tomatoes, chopped roughly
- 2-3 ears of corn, enough for 8 pieces of 2-3 inch thick pieces
- 4 medium güicoy, cut in half
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 3 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- Cooked rice (for serving)
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Put your chicken in a large pot and add water until chicken is covered by at least four inches. Add half of the onion, cut in two, and two whole cloves of garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove breasts to a plate and reserve, boil remaining mixture for 1 1/2 hours.
- In the meantime, slice other half of onion longways, so you have long strips. Add onions, carrots, potatoes, güisquil and tomatoes to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Add güicoy, cilantro, mint and salt to taste and simmer for 10 minutes more.
- Pull out other meat pieces and shred along with reserved breasts and add back to the pot.
- Turn off heat and spoon 1-2 pieces of each vegetable onto a plate, along with a big spoonful of rice and some lime wedges. Ladle broth into a bowl and serve with plate of vegetables and corn tortillas if desired. Enjoy!!
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
What are güisquil and güicoy, and what can I substitute if I can't find them?
Güisquil is chayote — a mild, firm squash widely available in Latin and Asian grocery stores. Güicoy is a small round zucchini-type gourd. Substitute regular zucchini or Mexican grey squash for the güicoy. Both vegetables hold their shape during the long simmer and absorb the broth beautifully.
Why do you remove the chicken breasts after only 30 minutes but keep cooking the rest?
Chicken breasts cook faster than thighs and drumsticks and will become dry and stringy if simmered for the full 2 hours. Pull the breasts at 30 minutes, set them aside, and shred them at the end when you shred the rest of the meat. They go back into the pot for just the final few minutes.
How is this soup traditionally served in Guatemala?
Serve the broth in a bowl alongside a plate of vegetables and a large spoonful of cooked rice, with lime wedges and corn tortillas on the side. The broth and the solid components are intentionally separated — guests combine them at the table as they eat. 
Tried it out last night, perfect for a chilly evening. Though next time, I’ll cut back on the lime juice just a bit. It overpowered slightly.
LOVE IT MY MOM ALWAYS MAKES THIS , BUT NOW I WILL LEARN TO ADD MORE INGREDIENTS AND SEE HOW IT TASTE THANKS FOR THE RECIPE!
Thank you for posting this recipe….!!
This will be my second time doing it and it sure brings back lovely long gone days…