Caldo de Pollo con Chayote

Caldo de pollo is Mexico's quintessential home-medicine soup — a clear, herb-fragrant chicken broth loaded with chayote squash, corn, zucchini and potato. It is the food of Sunday afternoons, of recovering from a cold, and of feeding a crowd cheaply with something genuinely satisfying. Every Mexican grandmother makes it her own way.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
• 2 litres (8 cups) cold water
• 1 white onion, halved
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 chayotes (vegetable pears), peeled, quartered
• 2 medium carrots (250g / 9 oz), cut into rounds
• 2 medium potatoes (300g / 11 oz), cut into chunks
• 2 ears corn, each cut into 4 rounds
• 2 zucchini (200g / 7 oz), cut into chunks
• 1 tsp (5g) dried Mexican oregano
• 2 sprigs fresh epazote or coriander
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Lime wedges, sliced jalapeño and warm tortillas, to serve

Instructions

1. Place chicken, water, onion and garlic in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any grey foam that rises for the first 5 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Add oregano, epazote and a generous pinch of salt. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes.
3. Add carrots and potatoes. Cook 10 minutes.
4. Add chayote and corn. Cook 10 minutes more.
5. Add zucchini and cook a final 5–7 minutes until all vegetables are tender and the chicken is falling off the bone.
6. Remove the onion and garlic halves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
7. Serve in deep bowls with lime wedges, sliced jalapeño and warm corn tortillas on the side.

Cook's Notes: Chayote stays firmer than zucchini and adds a delicate squash sweetness — do not skip it. Skim the broth at the start for the clearest, most delicate soup. The broth is naturally low in fat if you skim the surface after cooling.