Sopa de Pollo - Mexican Chicken Soup [Video]

Low in fat and loaded with veggies, this easy and hearty Sopa de Pollo is tasty, healthy, and gluten-free.

It's a traditional Mexican comfort dish made with chicken, tomatoes, celery, onions, and carrots. Top it with avocado, cilantro, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips for a well-rounded meal. 

We've included instant pot and slow cooker instructions below.

This classic recipe for Mexican chicken soup is just what the doctor ordered to nourish your body.. It is hearty, delicious, and Keto and Paleo approved.

There's nothing better than a bowl of comforting warm soup to make you instantly feel better when you're under the weather. 

📃 Why it Works

Besides being low in fat, chicken is rich in vitamins and minerals and contains the essential amino acids that the body needs.

Homemade soups are those things that the body craves when we are sick and that taste like blessed glory.

Also, it couldn't be easier to prepare. For a deep poultry flavor, I recommend using homemade stock, Caldo de Pollo.

This authentic Mexican Sopa (Caldo) de Pollo recipe is packed with fresh, natural ingredients, giving it an exceptional flavor.

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

🔪 Instructions

*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips. See below instructions for making it in a pressure cooker and crockpot. 

Instant Pot Method:

1. Press the "Sauté" button to pre-heat your Instant Pot. When the word "Hot" appears on display, add two tablespoons olive oil, 1 diced onion, 1 cup shredded carrots, and 1 cup chopped celery: sauté, often stirring, until vegetables soften. Stir in 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
2. Place chicken breast on top of vegetables. Season with 1 teaspoon of each chili powder and cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and pour in 1 can crushed tomatoes, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1 cup water.
3. Close and lock the lid on the instant pot (follow the manufacturer's guide for instructions on closing it). Set the Instant Pot to the "Soup" setting and set the timer to 8 minutes.
4. Once the instant pot cycle is done, wait until the natural release cycle is complete (takes about 10 minutes). Remove the breast from the soup and shred with two forks. Return the meat to the pot. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Crockpot Method:

This soup is very easy to make from scratch in a crockpot:

1. In a crockpot/slow cooker, combine all ingredients in the order listed.
2. Cover and cook on low, 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks; return the meat to slow cooker and taste for seasoning.

👉 Variations

• Make it spicier: add seeded and membrane removed diced jalapeno pepper if you like it extra hot.
• Use leftover chicken or turkey meat.
• Instead of crushed/diced tomatoes, use fresh (about six Roma tomatoes, skin removed).
• Add chopped leeks, frozen peas, or green beans to the soup.
• Top the soup with chopped green onions, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and corn tortilla chips.
• It is an excellent idea to add spices and herbs to your liking to give it a different flavor tone each time; for example, thyme or rosemary are exceptional and oregano.

• Cut the meat up before adding it to the vegetables for faster cooking. You can also dice it small and skip shredding to save even more time.
• If the soup turns out too spicy, add more lime or lemon juice. It reduces the level of spiciness.
• Use thighs instead of the breast; remove the skin, bones, and extra fat before or after cooking.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

• Peruvian Chicken Corn Chowder
• Bosnian Bey's Chicken Soup
• Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Cajun Chicken Gumbo With Barley
• Polish Chicken Barley Soup
• 15 Cozy International Soups ad Stews

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Gluten-Free Mexican Chicken Soup [Sopa de Pollo]

By Jas

This easy Mexican chicken soup is made from scratch using chicken breast, crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and warming spices. It's a cozy and nourishing dish your whole family will love!

4.8 from 5 votes

Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Yields 4 servings

Calories 331 kcal

EQUIPMENT

• Dutch oven or a large saucepan
• Instant Pot or Crockpot if you choose as your cooking method

Ingredients

1x2x3x

US Customary - Metric

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion, diced
• ▢ 1 cup shredded carrots
• ▢ 1 cup chopped celery
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes , (we like Pomi - not an affiliate)
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 cup water

To serve:

• ▢ Cilantro
• ▢ Lime or lemon juice
• ▢ Avocado

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 cup shredded carrots, and cup chopped celery. Saute, often stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
• Mix in 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté until garlic is just fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
• Place chicken breast on top of vegetables and season with 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and pour in the can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1 cup water to the pot. Cover the pan and let cook on medium-low for 30-40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and using two forks, or your preferred method, break the chicken apart and into shreds.
• Place the meat back into the pot and taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary. To serve, sprinkle with lime or lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and top with fresh avocado slices.

Video

Notes

• Cut the chicken up before adding it to the vegetables for faster cooking. You can also dice it small and skip shredding to save even more time.
• If the soup turns out too spicy, add more lime or lemon juice. It reduces the level of spiciness.
• Use chicken thighs instead of breast, just remove the skin, bones, and extra fat before or after cooking.
• For the best results, read additional tips in the post above. 
• Check the cooking methods for Instant Pot and crockpot in the post above. 
• Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal (17%) | Carbohydrates: 9g (3%) | Protein: 40g (80%) | Fat: 15g (23%) | Saturated Fat: 3g (15%) | Cholesterol: 107mg (36%) | Sodium: 609mg (25%) | Potassium: 1007mg (29%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 4g (4%) | Vitamin A: 5817IU (116%) | Vitamin C: 14mg (17%) | Calcium: 50mg (5%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2014. It was updated in March of 2020 with new photos, a video, and extensive recipe tips.