Caldo Tlalpeño is a heat, comforting Mexican soup full of tender hen, hearty chickpeas, and vibrant greens in a wealthy, flavorful broth. This conventional Mexican dish will get its daring character from spicy chilies and recent lime. We’ve made just a few sensible swaps—like utilizing only one potato and a great hen inventory—to maintain it Weight Watchers-friendly whereas staying true to its roots.
This one-pot, 1-Level marvel is simple to make and excellent for a comfortable, nourishing meal. Do this lighter tackle Caldo Tlalpeño, and take a look at our different Weight Watchers dinner recipes for extra scrumptious meal concepts!

Caldo Tlalpeño Overview
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Prepare dinner Time: 35 minutes
Whole Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Serving Dimension: 2 cups (480 ml)
1 WW Level Per Serving. You may view the recipe on the WW App here. (WW login required.)
Substances


- 3 cups shredded cooked hen (450 g)
- 8 cups hen broth (2 L)
- 1 medium yellow onion (200 g), diced
- 3 giant garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 medium carrots (200 g), sliced into rounds
- 1 medium potato (200 g), cubed
- 4 medium tomatoes (500 g), quartered
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30 g)
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (340 g), drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (14 ml)
- 1 serrano pepper (elective), finely chopped
- 1 lime, lower into wedges
- Salt and black pepper to style
Directions
- Put together the Aromatics: Warmth vegetable oil in a big pot over medium warmth. Add diced onion, crushed garlic, and finely chopped serrano pepper (if utilizing). Prepare dinner for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, till the onion softens and turns translucent.
- Construct the Tomato Base: Stir in tomato paste and cook dinner for 1 minute. Add quartered tomatoes and cook dinner for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, till they soften barely.
- Add Greens: Incorporate sliced carrots and cooked chickpeas. Stir properly to mix. Prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes.
- Full the Soup: Add cubed potatoes and shredded cooked hen. Pour in hen broth and season with salt and black pepper. Carry to a delicate boil, then scale back warmth to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or till the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Serve: Style and alter seasoning as wanted. Ladle the new soup into bowls and serve with lime wedges on the facet.






Variations and Substitutions
Caldo Tlalpeño is flexible, and several other in style variations exist:
- For a smoother consistency, you’ll be able to mix the tomatoes with tomato paste, chilies, and broth. Whereas historically a transparent soup, this variation creates a thicker texture. This technique works properly should you favor to not encounter complete greens or seasonings in your soup.
- Some cooks swap chickpeas for hominy, making a variation that bridges the hole between Caldo Tlalpeño and pozole rojo. This substitution provides a distinct texture whereas sustaining the soup’s heartiness.
- The hen preparation can fluctuate in keeping with desire. Whereas I favor bigger, extra substantial items of hen, you’ll be able to shred it extra finely for a distinct texture all through the soup.
- The toppings are essential! Conventional garnishes embrace diced avocado, crispy fried tortilla strips, recent cilantro, and the non-negotiable lime juice, which provides brightness to every bowl.
Suggestions and Methods for making Caldo Tlalpeño
- Do-it-yourself hen broth: In a big pot of water, mix a halved onion, three giant unpeeled garlic cloves (simply frivolously crushed), and a beneficiant bunch of recent cilantro. Prepare dinner your hen breast on this fragrant base till absolutely performed – this similar hen will later return to the completed soup. As soon as the hen is cooked, pressure the broth to take away the greens and herbs, making a clear basis in your Caldo Tlalpeño. This further step makes a noticeable distinction within the remaining style of your soup.
- For individuals who take pleasure in warmth, soak a poblano chile in a single day, then mix it with half a cup of water earlier than including it to your soup.
- For a extra substantial soup, add diced squash in various sizes. The smaller items will naturally break down throughout cooking, lending each coloration and physique to the broth whereas bigger items preserve their form for textural distinction.
- Meal prep: This soup is especially meal-prep pleasant and freezes fantastically, particularly should you omit the potatoes. When storing, maintain any crispy toppings separate to take care of their texture.
- High quality broth: Utilizing bone-in hen components creates a extra flavorful basis, however good-quality store-bought hen inventory can work in a pinch. Enable sufficient time for the flavors to meld – don’t rush the simmering course of.
- 3 cups shredded cooked hen, 450 g
- 8 cups hen broth, 2 L
- 1 medium yellow onion, 200 g, diced
- 3 giant garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 medium carrots, 200 g, sliced into rounds
- 1 medium potato, 200 g, cubed
- 4 medium tomatoes, 500 g, quartered
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 30 g
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, 340 g, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 14 ml
- 1 serrano pepper, elective, finely chopped
- 1 lime, lower into wedges
- Salt and black pepper to style
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Put together the Aromatics: Warmth vegetable oil in a big pot over medium warmth. Add diced onion, crushed garlic, and finely chopped serrano pepper (if utilizing). Prepare dinner for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, till the onion softens and turns translucent.
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Construct the Tomato Base: Stir in tomato paste and cook dinner for 1 minute. Add quartered tomatoes and cook dinner for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, till they soften barely.
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Add Greens: Incorporate sliced carrots and cooked chickpeas. Stir properly to mix. Prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes.
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Full the Soup: Add cubed potatoes and shredded cooked hen. Pour in hen broth and season with salt and black pepper. Carry to a delicate boil, then scale back warmth to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or till the potatoes and carrots are tender.
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Serve: Style and alter seasoning as wanted. Ladle the new soup into bowls and serve with lime wedges on the facet.
Simply 1 WW level per serving.
Serving: 684gEnergy: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 32gFats: 6.8gSaturated Fats: 1.1gLdl cholesterol: 64mgSodium: 1624mgPotassium: 953mgFiber: 8.3gSugar: 8.8gCalcium: 82mgIron: 4.1mg
Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.