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    Home » Recipes » Soups & Stews

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    Sopa de Pollo o Caldo de Gallina Criolla (Old Hen / Chicken Soup)

    En Español Recipe ↆ

    This Caldo de Gallina Criolla o Pollo (Old Hen / Chicken Soup) is the traditional soup given to women who've just given birth or people recovering from illness.

    Caldo de gallina criolla o pollo (a bowl of "old hen" or chicken soup).
    Sopa de pollo (chicken soup).

    JUMP TO: show ↓
    1. Why we ❤️ it
    2. Caldo de gallina vieja criolla
    3. About this recipe
    4. Recipe

    Why we ❤️ it

    Dominican sopa de pollo, or caldo de gallina is far more than just a dish. It is half nourishment, half ancestral medicine. A dish steeped in our oldest traditions and popular beliefs.

    Caldo de gallina vieja criolla

    Before we got our chicken neatly packed from the supermarket, most Dominicans lived in rural areas grew and raised their food–at least partially. Keeping "creole" chickens was not just relegated to the campos. In my paternal home, we kept chickens in the backyard growing up, and fresh eggs was part of our regular diet.

    Good hens, once they left behind their peak egg-laying days, were destined for the pot, but saved for the times when convalescent family or relatives, or recién paridas (women who had just given birth) were in need of a wholesome, restorative caldo de gallina criolla vieja.

    The soup is hen soup, never chicken, because they are "very cold", without "auyama", because everything that comes from vines can "lock" the child. [1] (Translation mine)

    Caldo de gallina criolla o pollo (a bowl of "old hen" or chicken soup).
    Caldo de gallina criolla o pollo (a bowl of "old hen" or chicken soup).

    Caldo de gallina criolla o de pollo (chicken soup).

    About this recipe

    Where we can find an old "creole" hen in these urban environs nowadays, I do not know, so use chicken if you can't get hold of an old hen.

    And I have added auyama, as I have no newborns I fear may be "locked" (whatever that is). Auyama gives this soup the nicest color and creamiest consistency.

    Buen provecho!

    Tia Clara

    Recipe

    This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

    Caldo de Gallina Criolla o Pollo (Old Hen / Chicken Soup)
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    Caldo de Gallina Criolla o Pollo Recipe (Old Hen / Chicken Soup)

    By: Clara Gonzalez
    Caldo de Gallina Criolla o Pollo Recipe (Old Hen / Chicken Soup): traditional soup given to women who've just given birth or people recovering from illness.
    5 from 7 votes
    Save for Later Send by Email Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Dominican
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 262 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 pound hen meat, [0.91 kg] (or chicken)
    • 1 teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
    • 1½ teaspoon salt, (or more, to taste)
    • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
    • 1 quart chicken broth, [1 lt]
    • 1 cup diced potatoes
    • 1 stalk celery, sliced
    • 1 cup auyama (kabocha squash), (West Indian pumpkin) cut into small cubes
    • ½ cup angel hair noodles
    • 1 sprig parsley, chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Season chicken: Remove skin, bone, and chop the chicken into spoon-sized pieces. Discard the excess fat and skin. We'll use the bones for extra flavor. Season the chicken with oregano and 1 teaspoon of salt.
    • Cook meat: Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat, add the chicken and brown. Pour in 1 quart [1 lt] of water, garlic, and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until chicken or hen is very tender, add water when it becomes necessary to maintain the same level of liquid. Stir in the potatoes, celery, and auyama.
    • Cook noodles: Five minutes later add the noodles and parsley and cook until noodles are cooked through. Stir regularly to avoid excessive sticking.
    • Serve: Once everything is cooked through, remove the bones from the soup and discard. Taste and season with salt to taste.

    Tips and Notes

    If you do get hold of an old hen, be prepared for a long cooking time. In that case a pressure cooker will shorten the cooking time a whole lot.
    I prefer to use homemade vegetable or chicken broth instead of bouillon cubes. It's a personal preference.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 16gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 1273mgPotassium: 395mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2948IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

    READERS SEARCHED FOR alcapurria, caldo de gallina, caldo de pollo recipe, how to make sopa de gallina, sopa de gallina casera recipe, sopa de gallina recipe, sopa de pollo recipe
    More recipes with: auyama, chicken, potato, pumpkin

    References

    1. Jimenez, Ramón Emilio (1927) Al Amor del Bohío: Tradiciones y Costumbres Dominicanas. (Tomo 1. Pag. 21) Santo Domingo: V. Montalvo, Ed.

    By Tia Clara - Published Dec 21, 2003, revised Dec 2, 2022

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      Sopa de Res o Sopa de Hueso (Beef Bone Soup)
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      Sancocho (Meat and Root Vegetables Stew)
    • Cepa de apio soup (crema de cepa de apio).
      Crema de Cepa de Apio (Creole Celery Root Cream)

    ¡Hola! I am Tía Clara, your host. Thanks for visiting.
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