Ajiaco (Colombian chicken and potato soup)
Bogotá’s comfort soup: chicken, corn and three kinds of potato cooked until thick, flavoured with guascas and served with cream, capers and avocado.
- 105 min25 prep · 80 cook
- MediumDifficulty
- 520 kcalper serving
Ingredients
- Chicken pieces, bone in1 kg
- Water2.5 l
- Corn cobs3
- Spring onions4
- garlic3 cloves
- Floury potatoes500 g
- Waxy potatoes500 g
- Small yellow potatoes (papa criolla)400 g
- Dried guascas3 tbsp
- Chopped coriander3 tbsp
- Double cream150 ml
- Capers3 tbsp
- Avocados2
- Saltto taste
Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.
Steps
- 1
Put the chicken, the corn cut into thirds, the spring onions, the garlic and some salt in a large pot with the water. Simmer gently.
- 2
Lift out the chicken, shred the meat and discard skin and bones. Remove the spring onions.
- 3
Peel and slice the floury and waxy potatoes, add them to the broth with the whole small yellow potatoes and simmer until the floury ones fall apart and thicken the soup.
- 4
Stir in the guascas and the shredded chicken and cook a little longer. Adjust the salt.
- 5
Serve hot with coriander on top, and cream, capers and sliced avocado on the side for everyone to add.
Tips and questions
- What are guascas and can I replace them?
- Guascas are a dried Andean herb that gives ajiaco its typical flavour. Look for them in Latin shops; at a push, use a little dried oregano and bay, though it won’t taste quite the same.
- Can I freeze ajiaco?
- Yes, without the cream, capers and avocado. Potatoes go a bit grainy, so stir well as it reheats and add a splash of water.
- Why isn’t my ajiaco thick?
- The thickness comes from floury potatoes breaking down. Cook a little longer and crush some pieces against the side of the pot.
Enjoy your meal!
You made it. Serve it while it is hot, or pick your next recipe.
Your screen stays on while you cook.
