Caldo Tlalpeño is a delightful and nutritious soup made with chicken, carrots, chickpeas, and green beans. It is usually garnished with avocado and cheese and served with a Chipotle pepper on the side.
Caldo Tlalpeño Recipe
This soup is very popular at many restaurants in Mexico, and is found in small eateries as well as in chain restaurants. Diner chains like Toks, VIPS, and El Porton have long offered Caldo Tlalpeño on their menus alongside other favorites like Tortilla Soup, Chicken Soup, and Chicken Consommé.
The vegetables added to this Tlalpeño Soup vary depending on the cook. You can find some very easy recipes with only the chicken, chickpeas, and carrots, but there are more complex versions that include squash, potatoes, green beans, rice, xoconostle, and epazote.
Epazote is one of the key ingredients of this soup. It has a strong flavor, and it is used when cooking black beans because it is believed to reduce the effects of consuming black beans (gas). It is also used to flavor other very traditional dishes from Central Mexico, like quesadillas, entomatadas, chilaquiles, and seafood soups. If you can’t find epazote where you live, use cilantro in its place for this recipe.
Caldo Tlalpeño is served with shredded chicken or with pieces of chicken with the bone in them. It can be served as a main meal in a large bowl or in a small bowl to accompany an entree.
Caldo Tlalpeño - a chicken soup with vegetables and chipotle
The name “Caldo Tlalpeño” indicates that the soup is from a place called “Tlalpan”, but there are several regions that claim to be the place where the soup originated, as well as several stories explaining how it came to be.
One of the most common stories takes place in the 19th century in the town of San Agustín de las Cuevas, which is now known as Tlalpan and is part of Mexico City. Most towns have a festival for their patron saint, and San Agustín de las Cuevas was famous for its rambunctious festivities. One day, after many days of gambling, partying, and drinking, Antonio López de Santa Anna, the President of Mexico, woke up in his holiday house in Tlalpan with a terrible hangover.
He asked the cook to prepare something to reinvigorate him, so she made a chicken soup with vegetables, epazote, and chipotle. Overwhelmingly pleased with this delicious soup, Santa Anna asked the cook what its name was, to which she responded: “Caldo Tlalpeño”.
Other soups with chicken:
Chicken Soup, Tortilla Soup, Fideo with chicken soup.
Another story takes place in the early 20th century, where tranvías (trolley cars) were a popular form of public transport in Mexico City. The tram station in Tlalpan was known for its food vendors. Most of them sold antojitos, but one vendor became known for his special way of making soup, which included chipotle, cheese, avocado, and other vegetables. This soup became known as “Caldo de Tlalpan”, which was later shortened to “Caldo Tlalpeño”.
Regardless of which origin story is true, Caldo Tlalpeño is now a staple of the restaurants in the Tlalpan area of Mexico City, and has become a favorite soup in diners all over the country.
When making your Caldo Tlalpeño, you can make things easier for yourself by cooking the chicken ahead of time using your slow cooker, pressure cooker, or instant pot. I personally like to cook it the old-fashioned way, on a pot on my stove.
I should also mention that this soup freezes well if you want to store it for later. This makes it the perfect soup if you’re on a diet: it’s delicious, healthy, and convenient!
How to make Caldo Tlalpeño
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
- 20 oz. boneless chicken breast
- ¼ white onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 8 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon salt
FOR THE CALDO TLALPEÑO:
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 9 oz. carrots, peeled and sliced (about 2 carrots)
- 2 tablespoon white onion, finely chopped
- 10 oz. large tomatoes, chopped (about 2 large tomatoes)
- 1 garlic clove
- 3½ oz. green beans, chopped
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned chickpeas are OK)
- 2 Cilantro sprigs
- 4 Epazote leaves
TO GARNISH:
- 1 Avocado, diced
- 4 oz. Mexican Cheese (Queso Fresco or Panela”)
- 2 Chipotle peppers in adobo*
NOTES:
- Usually, 1 chipotle pepper is used per serving, but I have only included 2 peppers for this 4-serving recipe because I figure a half pepper will be enough heat for most people. Feel free to add more peppers if you like!
DIRECTIONS:
- To cook the chicken, place it in a stockpot with the onion and garlic clove, then cover it with the water and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. You can also add parsley, cilantro, and celery to add more flavors to the chicken broth. Cover the stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the chicken has come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
- Once the chicken is cooked, strain the chicken broth and set it aside to cool separately. Shred the chicken (when it is cool enough to handle) and set aside.
- Heat the oil at medium heat and add the carrots to the stockpot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- While the carrots are cooking, place the tomatoes and garlic in your blender with one cup of the chicken broth. Process to form a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Stir in the chopped onions with the carrots and cook for 2 minutes until they look transparent. After that, pour the tomato sauce in. Keep cooking for 8 more minutes.
- Add the reserved chicken broth, green beans, chickpeas, epazote, cilantro, and the shredded chicken. Gently simmer for 6 more minutes. Season with salt.
To serve, ladle the shredded chicken, vegetables, and broth into bowls. Serve toppings like diced avocado, cheese, and Chipotles in small serving plates. Serve with warm corn tortillas and lime wedges to squeeze over the caldo.
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
Caldo Tlalpeño
Ingredients
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
- 20 oz. boneless chicken breast
- ¼ white onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 8 cups of water
- 1 tsp. salt
FOR THE CALDO TLALPEÑO:
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 9 oz. carrots peeled and sliced (about 2 carrots)
- 2 tbsp. white onion finely chopped
- 10 oz. large tomatoes chopped (about 2 large tomatoes)
- 1 garlic clove
- 3½ oz. green beans chopped
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas canned chickpeas are OK
- 2 Cilantro sprigs
- 4 Epazote leaves
TO GARNISH:
- 1 Avocado diced
- 4 oz. Mexican Cheese Queso Fresco or Panela”
- 2 Chipotle peppers in adobo*
Instructions
- To cook the chicken, place it in a stockpot with the onion and garlic clove, then cover it with the water and season with 1 tsp. of salt. You can also add parsley, cilantro, and celery to add more flavors to the chicken broth. Cover the stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the chicken has come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
- Once the chicken is cooked, strain the chicken broth and set it aside to cool separately. Shred the chicken (when it is cool enough to handle) and set aside.
- Heat the oil at medium heat and add the carrots to the stockpot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- While the carrots are cooking, place the tomatoes and garlic in your blender with one cup of the chicken broth. Process to form a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Stir in the chopped onions with the carrots and cook for 2 minutes until they look transparent. After that, pour the tomato sauce in. Keep cooking for 8 more minutes.
- Add the reserved chicken broth, green beans, chickpeas, epazote, cilantro, and the shredded chicken. Gently simmer for 6 more minutes. Season with salt.
- To serve, ladle the shredded chicken, vegetables, and broth into bowls. Serve toppings like diced avocado, cheese, and Chipotles in small serving plates. Serve with warm corn tortillas and lime wedges to squeeze over the caldo.
Barb
Tasty. I added more onion, because 2 Tbsp is absurd. I added about 1/4 cup. I made brined and baked chicken from my favorite recipe and shredded it. The chipotle added a surprisingly pleasant flavor. Make sure the carrots get to your desired tenderness. Just heating a few minutes isn’t going to do that. I couldn’t find epazote so used extra cilantro, boxed stock, and canned garbanzo
Sabrina Ordaz
I made this soup for my mom, early this year when she was sick, and I wanted to make something special for her. She loved it, and asked me to make her again today.
Thank you!
L. Zapata
Easy to make and rich flavors!
Mary Helen
Melt, How do you cook Mexicano but for diabetics?? It looks amazing and I want to cook it for my husband.
Mely Martínez
Hello Mary Helen,
Remove starchy vegetables from the daily menu. And reduce the number of tortillas, Aguas Frescas, and desserts. Just cook proteins like meat, poultry and fish, and lots of green vegetables.
G H
Would love directions on how to adapt to the instant pot as far as 1 pot cooking and cooking times. Thanks!
Carmen
Mely,es una excelente receta.Me encantó. Lo único que me faltó fue el epazote.Quedó riquísima. Muchas gracias por tus deliciosas y fáciles recetas.
Mely Martínez
Hola Carmen,
Muchas gracias por probar la receta. Provecho!
Jeana
Just made this delicious soup for lunch in time of COVID-19. Yum! I made mine with chicken breast tenders and as I didn’t have green beans I added some sticks of zucchini with peel. Before blending I added a small spoon of chipotle in adobo(it’s like a chili paste and I always keep some in my freezer ready) felicitaciones!
Mely Martínez
Hello Jeana,
Adding the adobo from the chipotles sounds tasty!
Bertha Gabrielle
I liked very much, simple to follow instructions. it's my first time
Mely Martínez
Hi Bertha,
Thank you for trying this delicious Caldo Talpeño recipe. Happy cooking!
Bertha Gabrielle
I liked very much, simple to follow instructions
Gaby
Easy and very tasty
Sharon Shearer
Very good, although I increased amounts of garlic, carrots and onion. Will be making it again. Would like to know how much dried epazote would roughly be equivalent to 4 fresh leaves.
Victor Rodriguez
Thank you for the recipe. I have been searching for this recipe. I can't wait to make it.
mmartinez
Hello Victor.
Enjoy this Caldo Tlalpeño. Have fun cooking!
Sharon Shearer
I have found dried espozote. How much would be equivalent to 4 leaves?
mmartinez
Hello Sharon,
Use only one or two leaves. The flavor somehow is stronger in the drier form.
Sharon Shearer
ok. Maybe only a tsp or 2 then. Thank you.
Myriam de Castro
Hi Mely !
I made this soup this evening, and it was delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe! I am originally from Canada, but I’ve lived in Guanajuato, GTO for the past ten years. Your recipes are just like mi suegra’s, and are a big help for me to cook like her; and the locals (or at least try to) ... which means happy husband !
Saludos !!
Mely Martínez
Hello Myriam,
Thank you for stopping by our Mexican Kitchen. I'm to know you like the recipes. Happy cooking!!
Nalleli
Love your recipes, had made plenty, and all of them are so easy and delicious. In this recipe, you don't mention how many tomatoes?
mmartinez
Hello Nalleli,
It says in the ingredients list 10 oz. tomatoes, about two large tomatoes.
Mark Hazell
What is the salsa in the top photo (next to the queso)? It looks delicious, but it's not mentioned in the recipe.
mmartinez
Hello Mark,
It is a Chipotle salsa with roasted tomatoes. I hope to post the recipe tomorrow.