Caldo tlalpeno: the Mexico City soup with chicken, chickpeas and chipotle

What is it?

Caldo tlalpeno is a classic Mexican soup born in the Tlalpan borough, south of Mexico City. Its base is a homemade chicken stock to which shredded chicken, cooked chickpeas, carrot, courgette, coriander and the dish's signature are added: chipotle chillies in adobo, which contribute smokiness and heat. It is served crowned with diced avocado, panela or crumbled fresh cheese, a sprig of epazote and a few drops of lime. It is a comforting bowl-soup, popular at fondas, eateries and traditional capital-city restaurants. Larousse Cocina describes it as one of the most representative soups of the Valley of Mexico, ideal for cold days. It often appears on set lunch menus as a starter soup accompanying stews and rice, or as a single dish with hot tortillas and salsa to taste.

Origin and history

Caldo tlalpeno was born in the town of Tlalpan in the late 19th or early 20th century, when this place was still a rural village on the outskirts of Mexico City. The most widely held story, recorded by Larousse Cocina and Adriana's Best Recipes, attributes its creation to cooks who fed passengers of the mule and later electric tramway that linked Tlalpan with the central capital. The broth was offered hot, with tortillas, at strategic stops. The recipe became established when the chefs of the area's restaurants, especially around the Tlalpan plaza, formalised the combination of chicken, chickpea and chipotle. By the mid-20th century, books such as the Diccionario Enciclopedico de la Gastronomia Mexicana record it as part of the classic chilango repertoire. Nestle Mexico, Larousse Cocina and gastronomic publications such as Adriana's Best Recipes agree in pointing to Tlalpan as its undisputed origin.

Characteristic ingredients

The base is a well-seasoned chicken stock, made with thighs, drumsticks and bones boiled with onion, garlic and herbs. Once strained, shredded chicken and previously soaked and cooked chickpeas are added: some cooks use dry chickpeas from the night before, others use tinned ones for quick versions. The classic vegetables are diced carrot, courgette and sometimes green beans. The soul of the broth is chipotle chilli in adobo: one or two whole chillies are added so that the broth takes on an amber colour and a characteristic smoky-piquant flavour. Fresh epazote is added in the last few minutes. To serve, each bowl is set with diced avocado, crumbled panela or fresh cheese, lime to taste and a sprig of coriander or epazote. Some modern versions melt Oaxaca cheese in the bottom of the bowl or add white rice as a sopa seca on the side.

Cultural significance

Caldo tlalpeno is one of the most representative soups of capital-city cuisine and an example of the mestizaje of the Valley of Mexico: it combines the chicken broth of colonial origin with the pre-Hispanic chipotle smoked over a wood chamber. It is considered a comforting dish associated with 'the worker's rest' and appears at fondas, markets and traditional restaurants such as Cafe de Tacuba or La Casa de los Tacos. In 2010, UNESCO declared traditional Mexican cuisine Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and soups such as caldo tlalpeno form part of the repertoire that supports this inscription. The Tlalpan borough promotes the dish at its gastronomic fairs as a local icon. It is also common on Lent menus, replacing the chicken with mushrooms or vegetables, in vegetarian versions that retain chipotle as the backbone. Its popularity has crossed borders thanks to chefs such as Pati Jinich and Aaron Sanchez, who have taken it to international television.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between caldo tlalpeno and ordinary chicken broth?

Chicken broth is a neutral base of chicken and vegetables. Caldo tlalpeno starts from this base but adds three identity elements: cooked chickpeas, chipotle chilli in adobo, which contributes smokiness and heat, and, on serving, avocado and panela cheese. Epazote and lime round out the profile. Without chipotle it is not tlalpeno.

What does caldo tlalpeno taste like?

It tastes of deep chicken broth with a smoky, piquant background from the chipotle, earthy sweetness from the chickpea and freshness from avocado and lime. Panela cheese contributes mild creaminess and epazote a herbal touch characteristic of central Mexico. The heat is balanced: it is felt, but does not dominate over the broth.

How is caldo tlalpeno served?

It is served very hot in a deep bowl. In the bottom, diced avocado and crumbled panela or fresh cheese are placed; on top, the broth with chicken, chickpeas and vegetables is poured. It is garnished with epazote or coriander, accompanied by lime, hot salsa to taste and hot tortillas. In Mexico it is offered as a starter soup or as a light single dish.

Where is caldo tlalpeno originally from?

It is native to Tlalpan, a borough south of Mexico City. It became popular in the late 19th and early 20th century among the cooks who fed passengers of the tramway that connected Tlalpan with the central capital. Today it is one of the most emblematic soups of chilango gastronomy and is eaten throughout the country.