Sopa de Pollo Estilo Boricua (Puerto Rican Style Chicken Soup)
Sopa de Pollo Estilo Boricua (Puerto Rican Style Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed, cut into smaller pieces
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 packet Sazón
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Adobo
- 1/4 cup sofrito, homemade or store-bought
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup sofrito, homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Adobo
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
For the Vegetables
- 2 cups calabaza, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 green plantain, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 potatoes, medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup baby carrots, whole, or 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, whole, for infusing flavor
For the Pasta and Garnish
- 1 cup small pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 cup green olives, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Remove the skin from the bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks). Cut the chicken into smaller, more uniform pieces, ensuring the bone remains intact for flavor.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Clean the chicken: In a large bowl, wash the cut chicken pieces with white vinegar and the juice of one lime. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Season the chicken: Place the cleaned chicken in a bowl. Add 1 packet of Sazón, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of Adobo, and 1/4 cup of sofrito. Mix thoroughly with your hands to ensure all chicken pieces are well coated.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Brown the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or caldero over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and brown on all sides until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not cook through, just brown for color and flavor.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Build the soup base: Once the chicken is browned, add another 1/4 cup of sofrito, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of Adobo to the pot. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Prepare the vegetables: While the soup base is coming to a boil, peel and cut the calabaza into 1-inch chunks. Peel the green plantain and slice it into 1/2-inch rounds. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Prepare the carrots (if using whole baby carrots, no cutting needed; if using regular carrots, peel and slice).
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Add vegetables and simmer: Once the soup is boiling, add the prepared calabaza, green plantain, potatoes, and carrots to the pot. Place the whole bunch of fresh cilantro directly into the soup to infuse its flavor. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
⏱️ 30 min
- 8
Add pasta: After the vegetables are tender, add 1 cup of small pasta (elbow macaroni or ditalini) to the soup. Stir well and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Serve and garnish: Remove the whole cilantro bunch from the soup before serving. Ladle the hot Sopa de Pollo into bowls, ensuring each serving has chicken, vegetables, and pasta. Garnish with 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro and 1/4 cup of sliced green olives.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sopa de Pollo Estilo Boricua (Puerto Rican Style Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed, cut into smaller pieces
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 packet Sazón
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Adobo
- 1/4 cup sofrito, homemade or store-bought
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup sofrito, homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Adobo
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
For the Vegetables
- 2 cups calabaza, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 green plantain, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 potatoes, medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup baby carrots, whole, or 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, whole, for infusing flavor
For the Pasta and Garnish
- 1 cup small pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 cup green olives, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Remove the skin from the bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks). Cut the chicken into smaller, more uniform pieces, ensuring the bone remains intact for flavor.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Clean the chicken: In a large bowl, wash the cut chicken pieces with white vinegar and the juice of one lime. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Season the chicken: Place the cleaned chicken in a bowl. Add 1 packet of Sazón, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of Adobo, and 1/4 cup of sofrito. Mix thoroughly with your hands to ensure all chicken pieces are well coated.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Brown the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or caldero over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and brown on all sides until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not cook through, just brown for color and flavor.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Build the soup base: Once the chicken is browned, add another 1/4 cup of sofrito, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of Adobo to the pot. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Prepare the vegetables: While the soup base is coming to a boil, peel and cut the calabaza into 1-inch chunks. Peel the green plantain and slice it into 1/2-inch rounds. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Prepare the carrots (if using whole baby carrots, no cutting needed; if using regular carrots, peel and slice).
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Add vegetables and simmer: Once the soup is boiling, add the prepared calabaza, green plantain, potatoes, and carrots to the pot. Place the whole bunch of fresh cilantro directly into the soup to infuse its flavor. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
⏱️ 30 min - 8
Add pasta: After the vegetables are tender, add 1 cup of small pasta (elbow macaroni or ditalini) to the soup. Stir well and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Serve and garnish: Remove the whole cilantro bunch from the soup before serving. Ladle the hot Sopa de Pollo into bowls, ensuring each serving has chicken, vegetables, and pasta. Garnish with 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro and 1/4 cup of sliced green olives.
⏱️ 5 min