Colombian Ajiaco Chicken Potato Soup
Colombian Ajiaco
A hearty Colombian chicken soup with three kinds of potatoes, sweet corn, guascas, capers, and cream served at the table.
Ajiaco is one of Colombia's great cold-weather soups, especially associated with Bogotá and the surrounding highlands. The broth is built around chicken, corn, and potatoes, but the finished bowl gets its character from guascas, a grassy herb that gives the soup its unmistakable aroma.
Using three kinds of potatoes is not just tradition; it is how the soup finds its texture. Small yellow potatoes soften and partially dissolve into the broth, russet potatoes add body, and red or waxy potatoes hold their shape so every spoonful has pieces of potato as well as a creamy base.
The garnishes matter as much as the simmer. Capers and cream are added at the table, so each person can balance the rich broth with briny sharpness. Sliced avocado and white rice make the meal feel complete without taking attention away from the soup.
This version uses widely available potatoes and chicken breasts while keeping the classic method intact. If you can find papas criollas, use them in place of the baby yellow potatoes for the most traditional color and flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Place the chicken, water, chicken broth, scallion whites, garlic, cilantro stems, 1 tablespoon guascas, salt, and pepper in a large heavy pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, skimming foam from the surface.
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2
Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until the chicken is tender and registers 165°F near the bone, about 30 minutes.
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3
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discard the aromatics, and return the broth to the pot.
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4
Add the baby yellow potatoes and russet potatoes to the broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and lightly pressing a few softened yellow potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup.
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5
While the potatoes cook, remove the chicken from the bones and shred it into large bite-size pieces. Discard the bones.
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6
Add the red potatoes, corn, shredded chicken, and remaining 1 tablespoon guascas. Simmer until the red potatoes are tender, the corn is juicy, and the broth is creamy but still brothy, 18 to 22 minutes.
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7
Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed. Thin with a little hot water if the potatoes have thickened the soup more than you like.
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8
Ladle the ajiaco into deep bowls with one piece of corn in each serving. Pass cream, capers, sliced avocado, cooked white rice, scallion greens, and cilantro leaves at the table.
Ingredients
- Bone-in, skinless Chicken Breasts:2 1/2 lb
- Water:10 cups
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth:2 cups
- Scallions, white and green parts separated:6
- Garlic Cloves, smashed:4
- Cilantro Stems:1/2 cup
- Dried Guascas:2 tbsp
- Baby Yellow Potatoes or Papas Criollas, halved:1 1/2 lb
- Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick:1 lb
- Red Potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick:1 lb
- Ears Corn, cut into thirds:3
- Kosher Salt:2 tsp
- Black Pepper:1/2 tsp
- Heavy Cream, for serving:3/4 cup
- Capers, drained, for serving:1/3 cup
- Avocados, sliced, for serving:2
- Cooked White Rice, for serving:3 cups
- Fresh Cilantro Leaves, for serving:1/2 cup
Tips & Notes
- Guascas is the signature herb for ajiaco; look for it dried in Latin markets or online.
- If using frozen papas criollas, add them with the russet potatoes and simmer until they begin to break down.
- Keep the soup at a simmer rather than a hard boil so the chicken stays tender and the potatoes thicken the broth gradually.
