🇪🇨 Ecuadorian Cuisine

Caldo de Gallina

Hen Broth Soup

Prep Time 15 min
Servings 6
Difficulty Easy
Calories 382 kcal

A golden, soul-warming broth made from slowly simmered whole hen with yuca, potatoes, corn, and herbs — Ecuador's universal comfort and healing soup.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole hen or large chicken (about 1.5kg)
  • 500g yuca, peeled and chunked
  • 4 potatoes, peeled and halved
  • 2 ears corn, halved
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • Lime wedges, aji criollo for serving

Instructions

  1. 1 Place hen in a large pot with water, onion, garlic, scallions, and cumin. Bring to a boil, skim foam.
  2. 2 Simmer 1.5 hours until hen is very tender. Remove hen, shred meat, return to pot.
  3. 3 Add yuca, potatoes, and corn. Simmer 25 min until tender.
  4. 4 Add cilantro, season with salt and pepper.
  5. 5 Serve in deep bowls with all the vegetables, broth, and lime wedges.

Did You Know?

In Ecuador, caldo de gallina is prescribed by grandmothers for everything from colds to heartbreak — it is considered medicine as much as food.

From The Culinary Codex — http://theculinarycodex.com/dish/ecuadorian/caldo-de-gallina/