Homestyle Cuban Chicken Soup Recipe – Sopa De Pollo

This easy and super delicious Chicken Soup recipe cooks in 1 hour at home. and made with shredded chicken, a bouillon cube, and malanga.

Cuban Chicken soup is a Cuban Cuisine, famous as a classic homemade soup which can be made within an hour, easily. With simple ingredients like chicken, noodle, bouillon cube and some vegetables etc. you can make this soup at home, any time you want. 

A nourishing, warm bowl of soup is comfortable enough to be served as a main dish at lunch or dinner. The Cuban Chicken Soup recipe is one of them. Warm soups are great comfort for chilly days, but you can have this sopa de pollo at any time of the year. 

When I used to be sick or catch a cold, my mom always comforted me with this soup, and it used to warm me up from the inside. It was such a great feeling that words aren’t enough to describe it. It’s a classic soup that makes this dish more special. 

Let’s learn how to cook Cuban chicken soup, aka sopa de pollo, at home from scratch. 

What is Cuban Chicken Soup?

Cuban Chicken soup is a Miami special. It’s like the American version of chicken noodle soup with the soda on the side, plus a lot more flavors. The added flavors are the authentic Cuban flavors, which make this soup more special. If you have ever been to Miami, you likely tried or had this soup at some point. 

Recipe Preview

Prep Time	Cook Time	Total Time	Course	Cuisine
10 Minutes	50 Minutes	1 Hour	Soup	Cuban

How to Cook Cuban Chicken Soup

The Cuban chicken soup recipe I am going to share with you is really simple and easy to make at home, that too in under 1 hour. It also requires simple ingredients that are mostly available in your kitchen. Let’s give this amazing soup a try in your kitchen!

Equipment

• A Knife
• A Chopping Board 
• A Heavy-bottom Pot
• A Regular Pot
• A Kitchen Whisk 

Ingredients Required 

For Soup

• 1 lb Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless
• 2 Tsp Olive Oil
• ¼ Cup White Onions: Finely chopped 
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth: Low in sodium
• 1 Rib Celery: Diced
• ¼ Tsp Cumin
• ½ Tsp Oregano
• 1 Chicken Flavored Bouillon Cube: Crushed
• ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 – 2 Ounces Fideo Noodles
• Lime Wedges
• Saltine Crackers
• Tostones: Twice-Fried Plantains
• 8 Cups Water 

For Vegetables

• 2 Large Unripe Green Plantains: Peeled and sliced into chunks
• 1 Yuca: Medium in size, peeled, and cut into one-inch cubes.
• 1 Malanga: Medium in size, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 Carrots: Medium-sized, chopped
• 2 Russet Potatoes: Medium-sized, chopped.
• 2 Corn Cobs: Cut into 3”

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

First, clean and rinse the vegetables. Then, cut them to size. Like onions, potatoes, carrots, etc.

Step 2: Start Cooking

Now take a large, heavy-bottomed pot and put it over the stove. Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat and add the onions and celery. 

Step 3: Add Garlic

Cook until they are soft, like for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Step 4: Cook the Chicken 

Now add the cubed chicken pieces and brown them a little. After all, it’s a chicken cube soup recipe. Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of water side by side. When the water is boiling, add the bouillon. Mix properly with a whisk, then add it to the soup pot with the chicken.

Step 5: Simmer Properly

Add more water and stir the ingredients. Reduce the heat to a simmer level and cover the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6: Add the Vegetables

After 30 minutes, add the carrots. Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes. In 15 minutes, add the corn pieces as well.

Step 7: Add the Noodles

Now add the noodles and cook for another 5 minutes until they are cooked to perfection.

Step 8: Serve and Enjoy

Now serve when it’s hot to feel the warmth and comfort of the soup.

Steps	Ingredients	Serve	Calories
8	20	1	365 Kcal

Nutritional Benefits the Cuban Chicken Soup Provides

• Protein: 38g
• Carbohydrates: 29g
• Fiber: 3.6g
• Sugar: 3g
• Potassium: 850g
• Sodium: 484g
• Fat: 9.2g
• Saturated fat: 2.7g
• Cholesterol: 13mg

You’ll Also Read: Easy Jamaican Chicken Soup Recipe For Healthy Diet

Why is Cuban Chicken Soup So Special?

Cuban Chicken soup is famous for many reasons. Such as:

• Cuban chicken soup is a classic soup that will make you feel nostalgic and warm on chilly days. Besides, you can have this soup in any season.
• This soup is easy to make, yet mouthwatering, and will leave you wanting more.
• This soup is very healthy, and when you’re sick, have this soup. It will work like magic!
• The Cuban chicken soup recipe needs very simple ingredients. Sometimes, they are all in your kitchen. If not, you can fetch them from a store near your house. 

Cooking Tips and Tricks 

• Water: Add as much water as you need. When you add the noodles to the soup, try to pour 1 cup of water each time so that the soup doesn’t dry out.
• Vegetables: You can add as many vegetables as you want. It will enhance the texture and flavor of the soup. But focus on the cooking time of each vegetable. Try to add them according to the cooking time they need. Cook each vegetable to perfection. 
• Noodles: Thin noodles are good for this soup. But fideo noodles, hair pasta, vermicelli, or thin rice noodles—anything will work. 

Alternative Ways to Make Cuban Style Chicken Soup Recipe

If you want to add other ingredients to the soup, go ahead. It will only surprise you more. Here are some suggestions:

• Green Onions: Sprinkle some green onions while serving the soup. 
• Bay Leaf: Another spice you can add. 
• Tomato Sauce: It can be added at the beginning while cooking the onions. It will give a nice flavor. 
• Sweet Potatoes: It’s a really good source of nutrients. Will enrich the soup’s nutrition level. 
• Lime Juice: To enhance the flavor, add some lime juice. 
• Black Beans: It totally depends on the person; if you like black beans, do add them to the soup.
• Sour Cream: Will enrich the texture of the soup.
• Turmeric Powder: If your bouillon doesn’t have turmeric in it, add some to the chicken broth. 
• White Rice: if you don’t like noodles or want to make this soup a hearty dinner, you can add rice instead of noodles. 
• Sazon: Can be a good alternative to bouillon. 
• Cilantro: Sprinkle some cilantro while you serve the soup to get fresh flavor. 

Storing Recommendations 

• If you want to freeze the cooked soup, make sure to keep it in an airtight box and store it in the freezer for 2-3 days. Not more than that.
• When you reheat the soup after taking it out of the freezer, heat it in a saucepan and add some salt and spice too. Because the noodles soaked up the liquid already, the taste might not be the same if you don’t touch it up.
• Without adding the noodles, you can store the soup in an airtight bag or Ziploc bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. 

FAQs

1. What Makes the Cuban Chicken Soup More Special Than Regular Chicken Soup?

Different spices and vegetables are added to Cuban chicken soup. That’s what makes it better than regular chicken soup. Because it’s more flavorful, healthier, and classic.

2. What Kind of Noodles Should I Use for Cuban Chicken Soup?

Cuban people prefer or love to add fideo noodles to their chicken soup. Since they are thin, they melt in the mouth easily. But you can use different noodles, including angel hair pasta. 

3. What Kind of Chicken Should I Use for the Soup? 

You can use whatever kind and whichever piece you like. Be it boneless, drumsticks, breasts, or any cut of chicken, everything goes with the soup. 

4. Do You Cook the Chicken Before Adding It to the Soup?

It totally depends on you. You can cook the chicken beforehand and shred it before putting it into the soup. Or you can cook the chicken in the same pot you’ll make the soup, just like the recipe above. 

5. Can I Use Chicken Stock Instead of Chicken Broth?

Yes, you can. Both have the same purpose. So it’s fine whichever you use or find available while cooking. 

6. Why is My Chicken Dry in the Chicken Soup?

Temperature and cooking time are the reasons behind it. You can have your chicken tender in the soup. But, you must find the right balance between temperature and cooking time. 

7. Does Chicken Soup Get Better the Longer You Cook it?

The answer is yes for chicken broth and stock. The longer you cook them, the better the taste gets. But for chicken, it’s the opposite. They will dry out if you overcook them. Also, vegetables get a weird texture if you overcook them as well. 

Conclusion 

If you want to try this homemade Cuban chicken soup recipe at home, don’t hesitate. If you have chicken, noodles, bouillon, vegetables and some regular spices in your kitchen, you can make this classic Cuban soup in 8 simple steps. It’s as simple as it sounds. Just go for it. 

Because it will not only lift your mood but also lift up your day, not to mention the healthy supplies this soup has. If you’re cold or feeling under the weather, this soup can be a go-to. Feed this soup to your kids when they are sick with a cold, and do tell us their reactions and feedback in the comments. 

Treat this soup to your family, friends, or kids. I hope you like this recipe and that it becomes a staple in your household just like mine. Eat healthy, stay safe. Have a great hearty meal!