Hearty soups are a great option for a late lunch or a hearty dinner. Pozole, sopa azteca (tortilla soup) or caldo tlapeño are all popular and common dishes, but caldo tlapeño is the one most associated with traditional Mexico City food.
Caldo means “broth” and tlapeño means “from Tlapan,” one of Mexico City’s sixteen departments.
Caldo Tlapeño is a hearty soup with chicken, chickpeas and vegetables such as carrots, green beans and zucchini in a chicken broth seasoned with onion and garlic, and a little chipotle pepper for a spicy kick. The soup is served with lime wedges, which can be added to taste. It is believed that the soup got its name from the Tlapan bus station, where a local woman sold a delicious chicken soup that was different from the way it was usually prepared and served it with cheese cubes and avocado. The soup was very popular and soon became known as “Caldo Tlapaño” as opposed to “Caldo de pollo” (chicken broth). Today, you don’t have to go to the Tlapan station to try this soup, as it is served in many restaurants in Mexico City and other cities in the country.