Cuban Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo Cubano) brings juicy chicken, sofrito, and fresh veggies in a flavorful broth for a simple taste of Havana. This traditional Cuban soup is ready in less than an hour.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Cuban-style chicken noodle soup is a comforting, authentic dish, perfect for a chilly day. Packed with chicken, fideo noodles, and corn on the cob, it's an easy-to-make, flavorful soup that will leave you feeling warm and satisfied.
- Comforting Flavors: This soup offers a deeply savory and satisfying broth, perfect for a cozy meal.
- Hearty and Filling: Loaded with chicken, noodles, and corn, it's a complete meal in a bowl that will leave you feeling full.
- Authentic Taste: Enjoy the genuine flavors of a classic Cuban chicken noodle soup, bringing warmth to your table.
Ingredients Overview
You'll need some chicken, tomato sauce, Sazon Goya seasoning, chopped onion, carrot, celery, potatoes, corn on the cob, and chicken broth. Fideo noodles are added toward the end of the cooking period.
For additional seasoning, you'll need salt, ground black pepper, Mexican oregano (fresh or dried), a lime, and fresh chopped cilantro.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions to cook this Cuban recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Cuban Style Chicken Soup
Step 1: Chop and dice all the vegetables up. They all get chopped up pretty small except for the potatoes, which are left in 1 inch chunks, and the corn is sliced in 1 inch rounds.
Step 2: Add the chopped onion, diced celery, diced carrot, and minced garlic. Saute for 3 minutes in the soup pot. Add the salt, oregano, pepper, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
Secret Ingredient
You'll find about four different Sazon flavoring varieties at the grocery store, in the Hispanic foods aisle.
Use the Sazon powder seasoning packet that comes in the peach colored box (annatto and cilantro) when making this Cuban soup recipe. This is the secret ingredient for Sopa de Pollo Cubano (chicken noodle soup).
Step 3: Empty the contents of one packet of Sazon Goya seasoning powder into the soup pot.
Step 4: Add the tomato sauce, salt, and cubed chicken. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 5: After the chicken has cooked completely, stir the fideo noodles into the pot of chicken soup and cook for 4 minutes.
Fideo Substitute
Fideo noodles are thin vermicelli noodles in 1 to 1 ½" pieces. Broken angel hair pasta will work in this recipe for Cuban soup also.
Step 6: After the noodles have cooked and are tender, add the 1" thick rounds of fresh corn and the potatoes to the pot of soup.
Step 7: Cover the pot of chicken soup and simmer for 20 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice into the soup right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Just add some rustic bread to sop up the broth for an authentic, comforting meal. You can also serve this with black beans or any sandwich for a heartier meal. Serve garnished with fresh chopped cilantro, crisp tortilla strips, and a side of crusty, rustic bread or warm, buttered soft flour tortillas and fried sweet plantains.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Corn Options: You can substitute the fresh corn on the cob rounds with 2 cups of frozen corn or 1 can of drained corn kernals.
- Protein Swap: Instead of chicken, consider using leftover shredded pork (like Pernil) or even a firm white fish (added in the last few minutes of cooking) for a different protein base.
- Broth Base: For a richer flavor, consider using homemade chicken stock instead of store-bought broth. You could also try a mix of chicken and vegetable broth.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this recipe:
- Sauté Aromatics First: Start by lightly browning your onions, garlic, and any other sofrito-like ingredients before adding liquids. This builds a foundational layer of flavor.
- Use Bone-In Chicken: If possible, cook with bone-in chicken pieces (like thighs or drumsticks). The bones add richness and depth to the broth that boneless chicken won't provide.
- Add Fideo Noodles Last: Fideo noodles cook quickly. Add them in the last 10-15 minutes of simmering to prevent them from becoming overcooked and mushy.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Broths can vary in saltiness. Always taste your soup before serving and adjust salt, pepper, or any other spices to your liking. A splash of lime juice at the end can brighten the flavors.
- Don't Overcook Corn: If using fresh or frozen corn on the cob, add it towards the end of the cooking process. You want it tender-crisp, not mushy.
Storage Options
Some recommended storage options for this recipe are:
- Refrigerated: Store cooled leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, let the soup cool completely. Then, transfer it to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving some headspace for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Note that noodles can become softer after freezing and reheating.
- Best Reheating Method: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight, or gently on the stovetop. Reheat refrigerated or thawed soup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it's hot and simmering. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Related Recipes
- Tostones, Cuban Fried Plantains
- Cilantro Lime Rice (Rice Cooker)
- Fried Sweet Plantains
- Cuban Chicken Fricassee
- Cilantro Lime Rice
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I surprised my kids when little with Alphabet Pasta in their chicken noodle soup! They loved fishing for the letters to their names in their Cuban chicken soup!
Fideo noodles look just like vermicelli, but Fideo is a thin vermicelli type of noodle made from maida flour. Maida is corn based. Angel hair noodles are a thin vermicelli noodle made from semolina flour.
Yes, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken or any leftover cooked chicken. Add it towards the end of the cooking process to avoid drying it out.
More Soup and Stew Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Cuban Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo Cubano)
Equipment
- 6 qt Enameled Dutch Oven
- 4.5 qt Enameled Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 4 oz Tomato sauce
- 1 envelope Sazon Goya Peach colored box preferred
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 large carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 medium potatoes chunked in 1" pieces
- 2 ears fresh corn cut in 1" rounds
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon Oregano dried, or 1 sprig fresh
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice or Lime
- 8 oz Fideo pasta or 8 oz Angel Hair pasta, broken
- Cilantro for garnish - optional
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Cut up all the vegetables. Put the olive oil at the bottom of your soup pot. Add all the chopped vegetable, except for the potatoes and the slices of corn. Add the garlic. Cook for three minutes. Add the oregano, pepper, chicken broth, and water.¼ teaspoon Pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium onion, 3 large carrots, 2 stalks celery, 5 cups chicken broth, 5 cups water, 1 teaspoon Oregano, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Empty the contents of one Sazon Goya seasoning packet into the soup pot. Add the tomato sauce, salt, and cubed chicken. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.4 oz Tomato sauce, 1 envelope Sazon Goya , 1 tablespoon Salt, 8 Chicken thighs
- After the chicken has cooked completely, add the Fideo noodles.8 oz Fideo pasta
- After the pasta has cooked and is tender, add the 1" thick rounds of fresh corn and potatoes. Put the top on the pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until the corn is tender.2 medium potatoes, 2 ears fresh corn
- Just before serving add the lemon or lime juice and stir. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro as garnish (optional).2 tablespoon Lemon juice, Cilantro
Notes
- Sauté Aromatics First: Start by lightly browning your onions, garlic, and any other sofrito-like ingredients before adding liquids. This builds a foundational layer of flavor.
- Use Bone-In Chicken: If possible, cook with bone-in chicken pieces (like thighs or drumsticks). The bones add richness and depth to the broth that boneless chicken won't provide.
- Add Fideo Noodles Last: Fideo noodles cook quickly. Add them in the last 10-15 minutes of simmering to prevent them from becoming overcooked and mushy.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Broths can vary in saltiness. Always taste your soup before serving and adjust salt, pepper, or any other spices to your liking. A splash of lime juice at the end can brighten the flavors.
- Don't Overcook Corn: If using fresh or frozen corn on the cob, add it towards the end of the cooking process. You want it tender-crisp, not mushy.
Vee says
Great soup but I added thyme,, rosemary , tumeric, Chinese fivepice, jalapenos, diced zucchini , (needed more veggies) and subbed sofrita for the tomato paste. Was a hit with familia.
Kelly Bloom says
I'm glad to hear it!