Caldo de Gallina Ecuatoriana (Ecuadorian Hen Broth)

About This Recipe

Caldo de gallina is the most restorative soup of Ecuador — a long-simmered broth made from gallina criolla (free-range hen), which is older and more flavorful than a commercial chicken and gives the broth a golden color and deep collagen richness that no standard chicken can replicate. It is eaten at all hours as the Ecuadorian cure-all: for illness, cold mornings, hangovers, childbirth recovery and Sunday family lunches. The difference between gallina and pollo (young chicken) is significant in this context — the hen's harder working muscles produce more myoglobin and collagen, which dissolve into the broth during the long 90-minute simmer and create a soup that is viscous, deeply savory and naturally gelatinizing when cold. If gallina is unavailable, the closest substitute is a large older boiling chicken, or adding a couple of chicken feet to a standard chicken to boost collagen. The soup is served with the broth and meat together: pieces of tender hen in the bowl, potato chunks, thin noodle pasta (fideos) cooked directly in the broth, and a generous handful of fresh cilantro and scallion. Ají criollo (Ecuadorian fresh green chile sauce) and lime wedges are served alongside for each diner to season their own bowl.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgfree-range hen or boiling chicken(cut into pieces; add 2 chicken feet if using standard chicken)
• 2 litrescold water
• 1 largewhite onion(halved)
• 1 headgarlic(halved crosswise)
• 2 stalkscelery(roughly chopped)
• 2carrots(roughly chopped)
• 1 tspwhole cumin seeds
• 1 tspsalt
• 4 mediumpotatoes(peeled and halved)
• 100 gthin egg noodles (fideos)(or vermicelli)
• 1 bunchfresh cilantro(stems for the broth, leaves for serving)
• 4scallions(sliced, for serving)
• 1lime(cut into wedges, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the broth cold

   Place hen pieces in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, skimming off the grey foam that rises to the surface during the first 10 minutes. Clean skimming is the key to a clear, golden broth.

   Starting with cold water draws impurities out of the meat gradually — starting with boiling water seizes the proteins and traps the foam in the broth.

2. 2

   Add aromatics

   Once the broth is clear and simmering, add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, cumin seeds, salt and cilantro stems. Partially cover and simmer very gently 75–90 minutes until the hen is completely tender and the broth is deeply golden.

3. 3

   Strain and defat the broth

   Remove hen pieces to a plate. Strain broth through a fine sieve, discarding the spent vegetables. Skim excess fat from the surface. Return clear broth to the pot.

4. 4

   Add potatoes and cook

   Bring strained broth back to a simmer. Add potato halves and cook 15 minutes until tender.

5. 5

   Add noodles and chicken

   Add fideos and cook per package directions (usually 4–5 minutes). Return shredded hen meat to the pot. Taste broth and adjust salt.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle into deep bowls with potato, noodles and meat. Top with fresh cilantro leaves and scallion. Serve with lime wedges and ají criollo.

Variations

• •

  Caldo de res: substitute beef bones and brisket for the chicken — simmer 3 hours.

• •

  Add a piece of corn cob to the broth for a slightly sweet, starchy note.

Storage

The strained broth keeps refrigerated 5 days or frozen 3 months. The cooked hen meat keeps refrigerated 3 days. Store broth and meat separately.

Frequently Asked Questions