Sopa De Fideo (Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup)
Sopa De Fideo is a light and flavorful Mexican chicken noodle soup.
It’s perfect for lunch or as a light dinner paired with a fresh garden salad and crusty bread.
Be sure to check out the rest of our best soup, stew and chili recipes, too!
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What is Sopa de Fideo?
Sopa de Fideo is a traditional Mexican soup made with thin vermicelli noodles, cooked in a flavorful tomato-based broth.
It is a simple and comforting soup that is often served as a starter or main course in Mexican cuisine and is often served with toppings such as chopped cilantro, diced avocado, crumbled queso fresco and a squeeze of lime juice.
The soup is a popular dish in Mexican households, and it is often enjoyed as a simple and satisfying meal that can be made with just a few ingredients.
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In addition to being delicious, Sopa de Fideo is also a nutritious dish.
The noodles provide carbohydrates, while the broth and vegetables add vitamins and minerals.
Where to Find Fideo
Fideo are a short cut spaghetti noodles.
If you are unable to find them at your local market, you can break vermicelli into 1” pieces as a substitute.
TIP: For a bit more flavor, you can use economical boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of the chicken breasts, but be sure to trim and remove any excess fat first.
And be sure to check out all of our family-friendly Mexican recipes!
Ingredients:
- 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced (leaves reserved)
- 1 T fresh thyme, crushed
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” cubes
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 c. low-sodium chicken stock, divided
- 1 cup Fideo noodles, cooked and drained
- 1 T fresh lemon zest
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 t. ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
- Optional Garnish: Fresh parsley and thyme
Sopa De Fideo Directions:
Heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add carrots, celery (including leaves) and thyme and sauté 4 minutes.
Add chicken, salt, pepper and 4 cups chicken stock. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
While soup is simmering, cook Fideo according to package directions in remaining broth until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid before draining pasta. Drain pasta and transfer to a medium bowl and toss with remaining olive oil. Cover and set aside.
Just before serving, add Fideo to Dutch oven. Stir and remove from heat.
Add lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg. If soup is too thick, add a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid to desired consistency.
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To serve, divide Fideo among individual serving bowls and top with hot soup. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Garnish with additional fresh cracked pepper and fresh parsley and thyme if desired. Serve with hot crusty bread and/or a crisp, garden salad for a light and delicious meal.
For more delicious soup recipes:
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Sopa De Fideo (Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup)
Sopa De Fideo is a is light and flavorful Mexican chicken noodle soup. It's perfect for lunch or as a light dinner paired with a fresh garden salad and crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced (leaves reserved)
- 1 T fresh thyme, crushed
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 c. low-sodium chicken stock, divided
- 1 cup Fideo noodles, cooked and drained
- 1 T fresh lemon zest
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 t. ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
- Heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add carrots, celery (including leaves) and thyme and sauté 4 minutes.
- Add chicken, salt, pepper and 4 cups chicken stock. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- While soup is simmering, cook Fideo according to package directions in remaining broth until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid before draining pasta. Drain pasta and transfer to a medium bowl and toss with remaining olive oil. Cover and set aside.
- Just before serving, add Fideo to Dutch oven. Stir and remove from heat.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg. If soup is too thick, add a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid to desired consistency.
- To serve, divide Fideo among individual serving bowls and top with hot soup. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
If you are unable to find them at your local market, you can break vermicelli into 1” pieces as a substitute.
For a bit more flavor, you can use economical boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of the chicken breasts, but be sure to trim and remove any excess fat first.
For best results, cook the Fideo separately, rather than in the same pot with the rest of the ingredients. This extra step yields more consistent results by eliminating the release of excess starch into the soup. It also prevents the noodles from becoming too soft and mushy, which means more appetizing leftovers the next day and better results when freezing for future use. Cooking the Fideo in chicken stock instead of water adds an extra layer of flavor.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 408Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 1398mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 45g
Nutrient values are only estimates provided by online calculators. Various factors can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.