Caldo Tlalpeño (Chipotle Chicken and Chickpea Soup)
A bright, smoky chicken soup with chickpeas, carrots, green beans, chipotle, and avocado in a light tomato broth.
Equipment
- Blender
- Large heavy pot
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs trimmed
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth divided
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes quartered
- 1 small white onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 whole canned chipotle chile in adobo plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce; more only to taste
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 medium carrots cut into ¼-inch half-moons
- 1 can chickpeas 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small sprig fresh epazote optional; remove before serving
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium avocado sliced just before serving
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 whole limes cut into wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Blend tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle, adobo sauce, and 1 cup of the broth until smooth. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pour in the mixture carefully and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring, until its raw onion aroma mellows.
- Add the remaining 5 cups broth, chicken thighs, carrots, salt, pepper, and optional epazote. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F and the carrots are nearly tender.
- Transfer chicken to a plate. While it cools enough to handle, add chickpeas and green beans to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, until green beans are tender but still hold their shape.
- Shred chicken into spoon-size pieces and return it with any plate juices to the pot. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until thoroughly hot. Remove epazote if used. Taste the broth and adjust salt or chipotle; additional chipotle can be mashed with a little broth before stirring in.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Add avocado slices and cilantro just before serving. Pass lime wedges separately so everyone can brighten their own broth.
Notes
Control the chipotle: Begin with one chipotle and the listed adobo sauce. Brands and individual chiles vary. Add more at the end only after tasting.
Avocado timing: Avocado belongs on the served bowls. Keeping it out of the pot protects its fresh texture and leaves the remaining soup easier to reheat.
Epazote: A small fresh sprig is optional. Omit it if unavailable; do not replace it with a large measure of an unfamiliar dried herb.