Homemade stock is an important part of Mexican cuisine, but it is not like the rich stocks of the classical French and Italian kitchens. Real Mexican cooking uses a light chicken stock meant to subtly enhance rather than overpower dishes in which it is used. We also often use the stock from boiled park. Beef and veal stock are less frequent and more likely to be used for European-style sauces and soups. I have tailored this simple recipe for caldo de pollo to produce a bonus: The cooked chicken meat that is one of the most versatile ingredients in my kitchen. Luckily, the 3- 4-pound chickens sold in every U.S. supermarket cook so quickly that they do very well for this double-barreled effort. You can, of course, make stock from chicken wings and backs if a whole chicken doesn’t fit your plans.

Chicken Stock (Caldo de pollo)

To deepen the flavor of caldo de pollo (but without turning it into something more like the European stocks), I like to use still another variant of my favorite enriching technique (see below, Caldo de pollo casero). In recipes calling simply for “chicken stock” you can use any good chicken stock or broth that you have on hand. When caldo de pollo and caldo de pollo casero are called for, please use these particular stocks.

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Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8

Calories 217 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 chicken (3½ pounds) or 3 pounds chicken wings and backs
• 1 medium-size white onion unpeeled
• 3 cloves garlic unpeeled
• 1 carrot scrubbed but unpeeled
• 1 celery stalk or leafy tops of 3 celery stalks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

• The chicken can be left whole or cut up into 6 to 8 pieces.
• Combine all the ingredients in a medium-large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat at once to low. Simmer, partly covered, until the meat is barely tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the stock. Strain through a fine sieve and skim the fat, discarding the solids in the sieve.

Notes

Yield: 8 to 9 cups

Can be stored, tightly covered, 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, or indefinitely in the freezer.

Homestyle chicken stock (Caldo de pollo casero) In medium-size sauté pan or skillet, heat 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil over medium-high heat until not quite smoking. Add 1 cup coarsely chopped white onion (1 medium-size onion) and 1 minced medium-size garlic clove. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to color, about 2 minutes. Add 1 chopped medium-size ripe, red tomato, and cook 3 minutes. Have 8 cups caldo de pollo (recipe above) just at the boiling point in a deep pan. Add the onion mixture to the boiling stock, turn the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve and discard the solids. Yield: 8 to 9 cups

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 18gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 73mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1414IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

Keyword broth, chicken, chicken broth

NOTE: Nutrition values are approximate and for informational purposes only. Values do not include optional or alternate ingredients, nor do they include the nutritional values for any secondary recipes that may be listed in the ingredients.