Caldo de Pollo con Arroz y Verduras (Mexican Chicken Soup with Rice)
A light chicken broth with carrots, courgette and green beans, with zesty green rice and shredded chicken.
Made with Mexican chicken stock (caldo de pollo) and Cilantro lime rice and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £4.11 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pour your ready made Mexican chicken stock (see the base recipe) into a large pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 2
Add the carrots and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the green beans and simmer for 4 minutes more.
10 min - 3
Add the courgettes and your ready made shredded chicken (see the base recipe). Simmer for 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is steaming hot all the way through.
5 min - 4
Put your ready made cilantro lime rice (see the base recipe) into a pan with 3 tbsp water, cover and heat for 5 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
- 5
Spoon the hot rice into 4 bowls, then ladle over the soup.
- 6
Top with the avocado and jalapeno, and serve with lime wedges.
Tips
- Keep the rice separate and add it to the bowls. If it sits in the soup, it soaks up the broth and turns mushy.
- Cut the vegetables to a similar size so they cook in the same time.
- Season at the end. Taste the broth with the rice, and add a little salt or lime juice if it needs it.
Storing and freezing
Cool the soup and rice separately within 1 hour. Keep the soup in the fridge for up to 3 days and the rice for 1 day. Reheat the soup until steaming hot all the way through, and the rice only once.
Questions
Can I use a different vegetable?
Yes. Chayote, potato, sweetcorn on the cob and cabbage are all common in Mexican caldos. Add firm vegetables first and soft ones later.
Can I freeze it?
Freeze the soup without the rice and avocado for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat until steaming hot. Use fresh or frozen portioned rice.
Why serve it with lime rice?
Rice is often added to Mexican chicken soups. Cilantro lime rice brings a fresh, zesty note, which suits the clean flavour of the broth.
More made with mexican chicken stock (caldo de pollo)
Albóndigas en Pipián Verde (Meatballs in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
DFNFHPPipián Verde de Pollo (Chicken in Green Pumpkin Seed Mole)
DFEFNFCrema de Poblano (Creamy Roasted Poblano Soup)
GFEFNFCaldo de Queso (Sonoran Potato and Cheese Soup)
EFNFSee every dish made with mexican chicken stock (caldo de pollo)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.