Ajiaco is a hearty & traditional Colombian soup from the region around Bogotá. It consists of a combination of shredded chicken, corn on the cob, and three types of potatoes, cooked in a chicken broth. And is flavored with a unique Colombian herb called guascas. All of which is accompanied by a number of garnishes for a delicious and comforting meal.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- Make sure to use bone-in chicken: Since we will be making a broth for this soup you will want to use bone-in chicken breast. The bones will add a great amount of collagen and flavor in addition to the chicken meat. Which will give the soup the perfect mouthfeel and taste.
- Colombian potatoes: Ajiaco is most associated with the Colombian capital city of Bogotá, which sits a staggering 8,660 ft/2,640 m high up in the Andes. And due to this location, they have access to a number of unique potato varieties that they like to incorporate into their ajiaco. With the most common combination being Crilloa, Sabanera, and Pastusa. Now, I’m not bringing this up to flex my knowledge of Colombian potato varieties (really I just googled it). But rather to inform you on how we can get a similar result without these potatoes. Because unless you live in Colombia they are going to be very difficult, to nearly impossible to source. Ok. First, there is Crilloa, which can be found in some Latin American markets. And will normally be sold in plastic bags in the freezer section. However, if you can’t get your hands on them, baby Yukon golds will make a great substitute. Next, we have Sabanera, which has a red to purplish skin and firm flesh. So a great substitution for them would be any type of medium-sized red waxy potatoes. And lastly, we have Pastusa, which has a yellow to brown skin along with a soft & starchy flesh. So an obvious substitute would be a classic Russet potato.
- Variety is the potatoes of life: Why are we using three different types of potatoes? Well, it’s simply for a variety of tastes and textures. Some of them are firm and waxy so stay in nice chunks when cooked. Others are soft and have a higher starch content allowing them to break down and thicken the broth. And while you might think they all taste the same, they don’t. So by using a combination we can get all of the best qualities in one dish!
- Corn as well: No we ain’t stopping at potatoes folks. Because the corn they have in Colombia is just as unique. You see unlike the sweet corn we have here in North America, the variety of corn traditionally used in Colombian ajiaco has larger kernels and tends to be starchy. And you might be able to find a variety of Peruvian corn on the cob that will give you a similar taste and texture. But honestly, it’s going to be very difficult to source unless you live by a specialty market. So feel free to use regular old sweet corn (it’s what I’m using), and you’ll still have a great soup!
- Guascas: The last unique ingredient I want to discuss is Guascas. Which is an herb that many describe as having a savory flavor with a hint of mint. While others say it tastes like a strong artichoke. Though honestly, I’m not really sure I’d describe it in either of those ways. All I know is that it does give the soup a unique taste for which there really isn’t a good substitute. So if you want to make sure your ajiaco tastes right I highly recommend you get your hands on some (the easiest option is Amazon).
- Chicken on the side: Traditionally the shredded chicken meat is never added back and mixed into the soup before serving. Instead, when you get it in a restaurant it is served on top of the soup, like a garnish. Or when your eating it at someone’s home the chicken is often served on a separate platter along with the other garnishes. And people are allowed to add as much chicken to their ajiaco as they want.
- What to serve with ajiaco: While ajiaco is definitely enough of a meal that you could eat it all on its own. You will often see it served with a side of white rice, and the ubiquitous Colombian flatbreads called Arepas. And if you really want to go all out I highly recommend you make some aji picante. Which is a refreshing and tangy Colombian condiment that is great when added to ajiaco.
Other Great Colombian Recipes
Ajiaco (Colombian Chicken & Potato Soup) Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For making the broth:
2 Quarts of water
1 Quart of chicken stock
2 Bone-in chicken breasts
4 Green onions
2 Cloves of garlic, sliced in half
2 to 3 Tablespoons of cilantro stems, save the leaves for garnish
For the rest of the soup:
¼ Cup of dried guascas
3 Ears of corn, cut into 2 pieces
2Lbs of papa criolla or baby yukon gold potatoes, left whole
2 Large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch sized chunks
1Lb of red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch sized chunks
Salt & pepper to taste
Garnishes:
Capers
Sour Cream
Cilantro leaves
Avocado slices
Aji Picante
Instructions
- Make the broth: Add all of the ingredients for making the broth to a large heavy bottom pot (at least 6 quarts).
Place this over high heat and let it come to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken breasts are fully cooked.
- Strain out the broth ingredients: Use a slotted spoon or a strainer to remove the solid ingredients from the pot. Discard the green onions, garlic, and cilantro stems. But save the chicken breast and set them aside to cool.
- Cook the potatoes and corn: Add the guascas, corn, and sliced potatoes to the broth.
Return the heat up back to high so that the liquid comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let this cook with the lid off for roughly 30 minutes or until the potatoes begin to break down and the broth is slightly thickened.
If you want to you can smash some of the potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to help break them down. Finally taste the broth and add salt and pepper to your liking. You will most likely need to add a good amount of salt as the potatoes really need it!
- Shred the chicken: Remove the meat of the chicken from the bone and discard the bone. Then use either your hands or two forks to shred the chicken meat.
If you want you can add the chicken meat back to the soup, but It’s often traditional to serve it on the side so people can add as much as they want.
- Serve: Place the capers, cilantro, sour cream, and aji picante into individual bowls. Have the shredded chicken meat on an individual plate. Then let everyone pour themselves individual bowls of the soup including potatoes & corn. And finally, let everyone add as much chicken & garnishes as they prefer.
- Enjoy!
Ajiaco (Colombian Chicken & Potato Soup) Recipe
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For making the broth:
- 2 Quarts of water
- 1 Quart of chicken stock
- 2 Bone-in chicken breasts
- 4 Green onions
- 2 Cloves of garlic sliced in half
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons of cilantro stems save the leaves for garnish
For the rest of the soup:
- ¼ Cup of dried guascas
- 3 Ears of corn cut into 2 pieces
- 2 Lbs of papa criolla or baby yukon gold potatoes left whole
- 2 Large Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch sized chunks
- 1 Lb of red potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch sized chunks
- Salt & pepper to taste
Garnishes:
- Capers
- Sour Cream
- Cilantro leaves
- Avocado slices
- Aji Picante
Instructions
- Make the broth: Add all of the ingredients for making the broth to a large heavy bottom pot. Place this over high heat and let it come to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken breasts are fully cooked.
- Strain out the broth ingredients: Use a slotted spoon or a strainer to remove the solid ingredients from the pot. Discard the green onions, garlic, and cilantro stems. But save the chicken breast and set them aside to cool.
- Cook the potatoes and corn: Add the guascas, corn, and sliced potatoes to the broth. Return the heat up back to high so that the liquid comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let this cook with the lid off for roughly 30 minutes or until the potatoes begin to break down and the broth is slightly thickened. If you want to you can smash some of the potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to help break them down. Finally taste the broth and add salt and pepper to your liking. You will most likely need to add a good amount of salt as the potatoes really need it!
- Shred the chicken: Remove the meat of the chicken from the bone and discard the bone. Then use either your hands or two forks to shred the chicken meat. If you want you can add the chicken meat back to the soup, but It’s often traditional to serve it on the side so people can add as much as they want.
- Serve: Place the capers, cilantro, sour cream, and aji picante into individual bowls. Have the shredded chicken meat on an individual plate. Then let everyone pour themselves individual bowls of the soup including potatoes & corn. And finally, let everyone add as much chicken & garnishes as they prefer.
- Enjoy!
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