This homemade Chicken and Coconut Soup is comforting, filling and full of flavor. It's very easy to make with simple ingredients.
What is Cazuela de Pollo y Coco?
It is a popular dish on the Atlantic and Pacific regions of Colombia. There are different variations of the dish, but they are usually made with chicken, broth, coconut milk, cream, vegetables and spices. It’s a creamy, flavorful and delicious soup!
While hot soups and stews usually make most people think of fall and winter, in Colombia, we eat these dishes all year round. Even in the coastal regions of the country, where the weather is usually between 80 and 90 °F, Colombians eat sancocho de pescado and cazuela de mariscos, among other comforting traditional soups, year round!
As a good Colombian here in the United States, I also eat soups all year round. It can be 0 degrees or 100 degrees outside, it doesn’t matter, for me comforting soups are always to be enjoyed.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
The full printable recipe card with measurements and directions is below.
Vegetables: Onions, red bell pepper, scallions, potatoes, peas, corn and carrots.
Spices: Cumin and achiote or color.
Chicken stock: Use a good quality chicken stock for this recipe, you can use low-sodium if you prefer.
Chicken: I like to use chicken breast, but chicken thighs will work too.
Tomato paste: Gives a wonderful flavor and color to the soup.
Coconut milk and heavy cream: This mixture gives the soup a wonderful creamy texture. If you want to make the soup lighter, you can swap the heavy cream for half and half or more milk. It won’t be as rich, but it’ll still be delicious.
Herbs: Cilantro for serving. Use fresh parsley if you prefer.
I love how this Cazuela de Pollo is both incredibly easy to make and satisfying. True comfort food. It’s rich, creamy, and hearty, the perfect comfort food for the colder months. You also only need one pot to make this soup, so cleaning up is easy, making for a great meal on a weeknight.
How to Make Cazuela de Pollo
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, red bell pepper, scallions, carrots cumin and achiote. Cook until they are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes, chicken breast, tomato paste and stock, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook over low heat with the pot partially covered until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Add the corn and coconut milk, continue cooking on low for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cream, peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add more coconut milk milk or broth if the soup is too thick. Add fresh cilantro and serve.
How to Serve this Dish
I like to serve this coconut and chicken soup with avocado, lime and patacones. But you can also serve it with a light salad, rice or bread for a complete meal.
Looking for More Soups to Add to your Menu?
Chicken and Coconut Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled and shredded
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of ground achiote or color
- 2 large yellow potatoes peeled and cut into pieces
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 large chicken breast diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 ears of corn cut in pieces or kernels
- 2 cups of coconut milk
- ½ cup of heavy cream
- 1 cup of peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, red bell pepper, scallions, carrots cumin and achiote. Cook until they are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, chicken breast, tomato paste and stock, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook over low heat with the pot partially covered until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add the corn and coconut milk, continue cooking on low for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cream, peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add more coconut milk milk or broth if the soup is too thick. Add fresh cilantro and serve.
Rebeca
sound delicious! Is the chicken breast already cooked when use in this recipe?
Erica Dinho
No, but you can use cooked chicken and add it at the end.
Anonymous
No. It cooks with the potatoes in the broth and thus will be fully cooked when the potatoes and other veggies are done.
Anonymous
I am Colombian too and love soup anythime. Your soup looks great!I'll try it somethime. Thanks
grace
i would definitely eat and enjoy a soup like this, regardless of the temperature!
Michelle
sounds yummy... is the coconut milk in a can or is it the refrigerated kind, next to almond milk?
Erica Dinho
I used canned coconut milk.
Rosie SerNa
Erica te agradezco si la traduces a español. Gracias
Cuando piensas tener tu canal en youtube?
Meagan E Taylor
I absolutely love this website. I go to it daily ever since my recent first time visit to Colombia. I love all recipes I've used from this website. Thank you
Nancy
Hi Erica just wanted to let you know my kids and I thoroughly enjoyed the soup. Definitely it has become a family favorite. I can't wait for my mom to visit so I can make her this soup.
Heather F
Eric, this was amazing! You're going to be famous soon per I am telling everyone who will listen . 10++++ Making again very soon.
Erica Dinho
Thanks,Heather! 🙂
Brenda
Just wanted to let you know I've made this soup twice now and my husband and I just LOVE it! So simple and delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Elizabeth
This looks delicious. I'm going to make it tomorrow
Cathy
I made this last night - It was delicious. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Aiste Kriauciuniene
Making this soup tonight!!
Maria del Pilar
Coconut anything is popular in Colombia. I think our food is totally delicious and this soup is over the top.
Angela Neglia
Hello,
This soup looks delicious. Is there a substitute that you can recommend for the heavy cream?
Thank you,
Angela
Erica Dinho
Just use coconut milk
John Jiménez
It was delicious! Simple ingredients and lots of Colombian taste.
John
Cori Donaldson
This is delicious! We didn't have achiote but it still turned out really well. Leftovers the next day were great too.