Caldo Tlalpeño

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables and aromatics: dice the ripe tomatoes and white onion, finely chop the garlic cloves, strip the epazote leaves from any tough stems, cut the lime into wedges, slice the avocado, and roughly chop the fresh cilantro. Keeping everything ready matters because the soup cooks quickly once the base starts.

2. 2

   Heat the neutral oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the white onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, not browned. Stir in the garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant, so the garlic does not scorch and turn bitter.

3. 3

   Add the ripe tomatoes, chipotle chile in adobo, and adobo sauce from the chipotle can. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and crushing the tomatoes with a spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly and smells sweet-smoky rather than raw. This brief frying deepens the broth's flavor without needing extra fat.

4. 4

   Pour in the chicken stock, water, fine salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then add the skinless chicken breast. Lower to a steady simmer and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches doneness and the broth tastes rounded. The chicken is ready when the center is opaque and the internal temperature reaches 74°C.

5. 5

   Transfer the skinless chicken breast to a plate and let it cool for 3 minutes, then shred it into bite-size strands with two forks. Short resting keeps the juices in the meat and makes shredding easier.

6. 6

   Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the cooked chickpeas and epazote. Simmer for 5 minutes so the chickpeas heat through and the epazote perfumes the broth; avoid a long boil at this stage, which can dull the herb's aroma.

7. 7

   Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle the caldo into bowls. Top with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro, and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing at the table. The lime should be added at the end to keep its bright flavor vivid.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For a clearer broth, skim any foam from the surface during the first few minutes after adding the chicken.
• •If fresh epazote is unavailable, use 1 teaspoon dried epazote added with the chickpeas; the flavor will be slightly less vibrant.
• •For a spicier bowl, add another 5-10 g chipotle, but blend or mince it first so the heat distributes evenly.
• •Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side if desired, though they are not included in the nutrition estimate.

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