Colombian Ajiaco (Bogotá Chicken and Potato Soup)

Why you’ll love it

• Creamy without cream in the pot: the potatoes melt and thicken the soup by themselves.
• A full meal in one bowl: chicken, potatoes, corn and avocado.
• One pot, simple steps: great for a cozy weekend lunch.

Quick facts

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, skin removed
• 10 cups (2.5 liters) water or low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 green onions (scallions), whole
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small bunch cilantro, tied with string
• 1 lb (450 g) russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lb (450 g) red or white potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
• 1 lb (450 g) frozen papas criollas (small yellow potatoes) or Yukon Gold, peeled
• 3 ears of corn, each cut in 2 pieces
• 3 tbsp dried guascas (or 1 tsp dried oregano plus 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

To serve

• Heavy cream or Mexican crema
• Capers, drained
• Sliced avocado and white rice

Step-by-step method

1. Make the broth. In a large pot, bring the chicken, water, green onions, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

2. Remove and shred. Take out the chicken and shred it, discarding the bones. Remove and discard the green onions and cilantro.

3. Add the first potatoes. Add the thinly sliced russets and the red potato chunks to the broth. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring now and then: the russets will fall apart and thicken the soup.

4. Add corn and yellow potatoes. Add the corn pieces, the papas criollas and the guascas. Simmer 20 minutes more, stirring often so nothing sticks, until the soup is thick and creamy.

5. Return the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken back in and heat 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.

6. Serve. Ladle into deep bowls with one piece of corn each. Add a swirl of cream and capers on top, and serve with avocado and rice on the side.

Tips for the best result

• Slice the russets very thin so they break down fully. That is what makes ajiaco creamy.
• If the soup gets too thick, add hot water a little at a time. It should coat a spoon.
• Lightly mash a few potatoes against the pot with your spoon for even more body.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. It thickens as it sits; add water or broth when reheating. Freezing is not ideal because the potatoes turn grainy.