Puerto Rican Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo Boricua) is soul warming and heavenly delicious! This is not your traditional chicken soup! What makes Puerto Rican Sopa de Pollo amazing and above regular chicken soup? Its natural homemade savory chicken broth. The chicken broth is made from cooking whole pieces of chicken right into the soup and then flavored with plenty of Latin seasonings! Although hyper simple to make, this will be the best chicken soup you will ever make!
It’s that time of the year again where a good bowl of soup is in order! The weather is getting colder and with that comes all the comforting recipes begging to be made! The savory casseroles, warm buttery breads and of course all the delicious savory stews and soups.
But when it comes to soups, I think we can agree that when we think of classic soups, the first one that comes to mind will almost always certainly be chicken soup!
Hence, this Sopa de Pollo! But note, this is not your ordinary chicken soup!
This soup entirely embraces all the words homemade, simplicity, flavorful, delicious and wholesome!
Puerto Rican Chicken Soup Compared to Regular Chicken Soup
Traditionally, an American chicken soup is made with a good chicken stock whether homemade or store bought. The soup will have skinless chicken breast either cubed or cut into small chunks with plenty of vegetables such as celery, carrots, potatoes, peas and onions. Seasonings come in a variety of aromatic herbs such as thyme, dill, oregano and usually parsley. For heartiness you will usually see some form of egg noodles, spaghetti or even couscous.
However, a Puerto Rican chicken soup is flavored and cooked quite differently.
The soup first begins with a flavorful base of Puerto Rican sofrito, followed by other delicious Latin seasonings.
More importantly, the chicken broth comes directly from cooking whole pieces of chicken. It is made by cooking either the thighs, drumsticks, wings or a combination of all three. The chicken breasts are cut up into larger chunks and added at the end when the soup is almost done to keep it moist and tender.
Additionally, we can sometimes add additional chicken flavor using a good chicken stock or bouillon.
Although this is not necessary. This is because the dark meat of the chicken releases such depth of natural chicken flavor versus solely using chicken breast as is the case usually in a traditional American chicken soup.
Using solely chicken breast will require some extra outside help in terms of flavor since chicken breast tends to be drier and hence less flavorful.
As far as veggies, well this will vary depending on the household or even what we may have available.
Traditionally you will see, carrots, potatoes, onions and corn coblets.
For heartiness, you will see fideos (thin cut spaghetti) or some other form of pasta such as coditos (macaroni) or even white rice.
Always you will find fresh cilantro in the soup and if you have some culantro available too, as these give the sopa its characteristically Latin flavor!
Ingredients
- 5 or more pieces of chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings or combination of all plus chicken breasts cut into large chunks.
- adobo seasoning
- 3 tablespoon sofrito
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 packet of Sazon with Annatto
- 3 carrots
- 1 small onion
- 8 cups chicken broth or 4 packets of chicken bouillon
- large handful of cilantro
- 2 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 4 small frozen coblets cut in half or fresh corn on the cob cut into pieces
- 1 cup of fideo, spaghetti or elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
How to Make Puerto Rican Chicken Soup or Sopa de Pollo Boricua
Sofrito: Add the tablespoon of oil to a caldero, dutch oven or medium to large pot and heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the sofrito and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the chopped onions, bay leaves and sazon. Stir well and cook for a minute.
Chicken: Rinse chicken pieces and sprinkle with a little bit of the adobo seasoning. (Note: If you do not have any adobo, simply sprinkle chicken pieces with a little bit of salt to season)
Add pieces to the pot.
Carrots: Wash carrots. You can choose to leave or remove skin. Slice carrots about ⅛ inch. Add to pot and cook for a few minutes with all other ingredients.
Water or Broth: Add either water or chicken broth to pot. (Note: If using solely water you can add the chicken bouillon now to pot)
Cilantro: Rinse and chop cilantro. Add to the pot.
Corn: Rinse corn under cool water and either add to pot whole or cut in half and then add to pot.
Potatoes: Peel potatoes and cut into 1-2 inch chunks. Add to pot.
Soup: Taste soup and add salt as needed. Add pepper to taste. Cook soup for 35-40 minutes.
Last 15 Minutes of Cooking: Add the pasta and chicken breast chunks in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Soup is done!
What to Serve with Your Soup
This soup is a meal all on its own. However, it is extra delicious and even more filling with a side of white rice and a sliver of avocado.
A side of crusty bread is great too!
For more delicious chicken dishes, you will also love these:
Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)
Alitas de Pollo Fritas (Puerto Rican Fried Chicken Wings)
Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)
Chilaquiles Verdes with Chicken
📖 Recipe
Puerto Rican Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo Boricua)
Ingredients
- 5 or more pieces chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings or combination of all plus chicken breasts cut into large chunks rinsed
- Adobo seasoning sprinkled on chicken
- 3 tablespoon sofrito
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 packet Sazon with Annatto
- 3 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 small onion coarsely chopped
- 8 cups chicken broth or 4 packets of powered chicken bouillon or cubes
- large handful of cilantro rinsed and chopped
- 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
- 4 frozen corn coblets or fresh corn on the cob rinsed and cut in half
- 1 cup fideo, spaghetti or elbow macaroni if using spaghetti break up into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the tablespoon of oil to a caldero, dutch oven or medium to large pot. Heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the sofrito and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the onions, bay leaves and sazon. Stir well and cook for a minute.
- Rinse chicken pieces and sprinkle with a little bit of the adobo seasoning. Note: If you do not have any adobo, simply sprinkle chicken pieces with a little bit of salt to season.Add chicken pieces to pot.
- Add carrots and cook for a few minutes with all other ingredients.
- Add cilantro.
- Rinse corn under cool water and either add to pot whole or cut in half and then add to pot.
- Add potatoes.
- Taste soup and add salt as needed. Add pepper to taste. Stir.Cook soup for 35-40 minutes.
- Add the pasta and chicken breast chunks in the last 15 minutes of cooking. Stir.Soup is done!
Nutrition
Cynthia Murray says
This recipe was just like Abuela’s in Puerto Rico! A hit, fast and easy to make with no fuss. I would say let the pollo (chicken) cook a little first at the beginning so it cooks faster in the step for boiling. I will make this again and pass it on to my girls…after Abuela’s approval…of course!
Catherine Arena says
Aww that’s wonderful Cynthia! I hope abuela approves! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Peggy Kim says
This recipe was delicious and such a comfort!! I prefer Sopa De Pollo to traditional American style chicken soup and was looking for a simple recipe! I had two friends who were under the weather and I brought them some and they loved it as well!!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!
Andrea says
Closest thing to my mother’s soup! Making this for the second night in the row as we finished it all yesterday. Perfect soup for when you need a little pick me up! So hearty and comforting!
Cathy says
Thank you Andrea for taking the time to comment and your sweet comment!
Steve says
Simply delicious!! The family loves it and being the cook in the house, it’s good for several meals. When I first followed the recipe the pasta soaked up all the liquid which was kind of expected so if reserving simply add chicken stock, the flavors will hold. Now I make the pasta in a separate pot and add when plating. If too much pasta is made, put aside and refrigerate. When reheating on another day the refrigerated pasta will warm up nicely in the soup. I’ve also made this soup with left over chicken which I add to the pot at the very end. Simple and delicious! Thanks
Daisy says
This was exactly what I needed on a cold day. So easy and delicious. Even my picky boys enjoyed this soup. I had Puerto Rican bread on the side to dip in the soup. Omg amazing. I have saved this to make again. Thanks for sharing.
Cathy says
Hello Daisy! Thank you for the kind words! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know how much you enjoyed it! 🙂
Sam Hogan says
Delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Cathy says
Thank you! Glad to hear you enjoy it!
Iris says
I picked this recipe because it came the closest to what my mother made when I was a child. It was very delicious and easy to make. I added the black pepper directly onto the chicken parts (cut wings and thighs on the bone). No added salt was necessary with the Goya reduced sodium Adobo I used. I also added some minced garlic and chopped celery. I always use a recipe because I tend to forget an ingredient, this will be my go to. It’s the classic Puerto Rican chicken soup.
Cathy says
Hi Iris! It also reminds me of my mother’s sopa de pollo! Thanks for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed it!
Ada says
Do you cover the put?
Cathy says
Hello Ada! Thanks for the question. No there is no need to cover the pot while cooking however, if you would like to cover the soup, cover it partially with the lid so as to prevent the soup from overflowing. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you for trying the recipe!
Marlene K says
Loved this soup and so easy to make! I will be keeping this on my rotation!
Cathy says
Hi Marlene! So happy to hear you loved this soup! Thank you for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed it!
Wisdom says
This is delicious! I added 3 stalks of celery. I also made the chicken broth using 1 cup water to a teaspoon of Knorr chicken bouillon powder. I used 12 cups of the broth, instead of 8. But next time I’ll use 6 cups of the broth and. 6 cups water to reduce sodium.
Cathy says
So happy to hear you loved this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed it!
Emily says
I’m trying this today!! I’ll be giving feed back!
Cathy says
Hope you love it as much as we do!
Elias says
Exactly how much water do you add?
Cathy says
Hi Elias! Add either 8 cups of chicken broth or water. Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂 Hope you ❤ this it as much as we do!
Alice says
Can I add 1/2 each I’d Water and broth?
Cathy says
Hello Alice! Yes, you absolutely can. You can use either half and half, just chicken broth, or chicken bouillon cubes and water. If you are adding plenty of chicken to the soup, you can even just use water as the chicken will naturally flavor the water creating a savory broth all on its own. The key here is to use dark chicken meat with bone in such as thighs, drumsticks, chicken wings or a whole cut up chicken all of which will flavor broth. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with. Thank you for trying out the recipe! 🙂
Jarie says
So so yummy!!!! the perfect soup for a rainy day or whenever you feel like it 😜
Cathy says
It really is! Hello Jarie! So happy to hear you really enjoyed it! Thank you so much for for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed it! 🙂
Krystal says
This was delicious. I did add a little chicken bouillon and tomato sauce to the pot and it was great.
Cathy says
Hello Krystal! So happy to hear you really enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time and letting me know!