Caldo Tlalpeño: Chipotle Chicken Soup

Overview

Caldo tlalpeño — the rich Mexico City chicken and chickpea soup flavoured with chipotle — demonstrates the simplest application of the chipotle's smoky heat in a broth context. The chipotle's smoked jalapeño character permeates the entire broth during the simmer — providing a base note that elevates what would otherwise be a standard chicken and chickpea soup to something distinctly Mexican.

Key Principles

- **Chipotle in adobo:** One chipotle (or more to taste) from a can of chipotles in adobo — the adobo sauce also adds flavour to the broth. [VERIFY] Arronte's chipotle specification.

- **Dried epazote:** Essential — the dark green herb with a specific slightly resinous, earthy flavour that is used throughout Mexican cooking and is irreplaceable in bean and corn preparations. [VERIFY] Arronte's epazote specification.

- **Chickpeas:** Pre-cooked from dried — the creamy, slightly nutty legume provides body.

- **The broth:** Chicken broth (not water) — the depth of flavour required for caldo tlalpeño cannot come from a water base.

Source

Mexico: The Cookbook