Healthy Mexican Chicken Rice Soup Recipe (Caldo Cantina)

Cold weather might bring me down if I wasn’t excited about a change of season which means a change in the menu. Mexican Chicken Rice soup is a just a little bit out of my comfort zone because I don’t make many Mexican recipes. I like food a bit lighter and I was under the wrong impression that Mexican food means lots of cheese and has to be heavy and high in fat and calories. This is unfair in the same way Italian food is so misrepresented here in America.

This is actually a take on Caldo Cantina, where often whole pieces of chicken are cooked in a big pot with potatoes, and vegetables and served just that way. This version is a little easier to eat and was made with left over roast chicken, because I want to eat food from scratch every day, but I don’t want to cook every day.

The Most Important thing about this Mexican Chicken Rice Soup Recipe is having good broth.

Make no mistake, this is Mexican chicken rice soup recipe is a very good soup, because first, I made bone broth.

I took the bones from that chicken and I put them in a crock pot for 24 long hours to get every bit of nutrition possible. The bone broth alone is a meal!

I added chopped chipotle peppers,  adobo sauce  and cilantro to the bone broth. They come in a can and add smokey flavor and heat. Go gently, though, they are potent. You will not need the whole can.

I saved the white meat of the roast chicken (we like to eat the dark meat first) to use in the soup and used rice and fresh vegetables. I squeezed a whole lemon into the soup and served it with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and  avocado.

Chicken bone broth, whole chunks of chicken, cilantro, lemon and avocado make a delightful Mexican chicken rice soup. One of the restaurants around here makes this soup and serves it with tortilla strips and pico de gallo. 

Homemade Pico de Gallo

This Mexican Chicken Rice Soup tasted so fresh and lively, and it was addicting! Do you have a favorite winter soup or a favorite way to use your leftovers?

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Healthy Mexican Chicken Rice Soup Recipe (Caldo Cantina)

Mexican chicken rice soup made from bone broth, left over roast chicken, brown rice for a delicious, easy, meal from scratch.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 6

Author: Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 4 quarts bone broth chicken stock, (homemadeor store bought)
• 1 to 2 cups diced white meat chicken
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• 3 carrots diced
• 1 onion diced
• 1-3 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobe sauce test for your own heat level
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• juice of one lemon
• wedges of lime for serving
• 2 avocado cubed
• salt
• pepper

Bone Broth Ingredients

• chicken bones cut from roast chicken
• 1/2 onion
• handful parsley
• filtered water

Bone broth

Instructions

• Heat bone broth.
• Divide cilantro, by saving some for garnish to serve with. Use rest to put in broth.
• Add freshly chopped carrots and onion until cooked through. Add large pieces cilantro (to be later removed.
• Add chipotle peppers.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add chicken, cooked rice and lemon juice.
• Serve with chopped cilantro, lime wedge and avocado.

Bone broth

• Put all bones,cold filtered water, onion, parsley on low in crockpot for 24 hours. Bones will start to disappear into broth. Ladle through a mesh strainer. Cool. Skim fat, if desired.

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