Ajiaco (Colombian-Style Chicken, Potato, and Corn Soup)

image of Ajiaco recipe
Active Time45 minutes
Total Time5 hours, 30 minutes
Servings8

Ingredients

  • For the soup
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 ¾ lb)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
  • 2 medium russet (or gold) potatoes
  • 2 medium red potatoes
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 8 frozen cut ears of corn (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels)
  • 1 tablespoon guascas (or dried oregano)
  • For the toppings
  • 2 Hass avocados
  • ½ bunch cilantro leaves
  • 3 tablespoons capers
  • ½ cup crema Mexicana (or sour cream)

Steps

  1. Prepare the soup. Chop yellow onion (1 cup), and garlic (2 tablespoons) coarsely. Place chicken, 2 tablespoons oil, yellow onions, garlic, salt, and pepper in large baking dish and toss to combine (wash hands). Cover and refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).
  2. Preheat 4-quart Dutch oven on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Pour remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven and add chicken mixture. Cook 6 minutes, turning and stirring occasionally, or until chicken is browned. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25–30 minutes until chicken is 165°F. Meanwhile, peel and dice potatoes (about 2 cups each).
  3. Remove chicken and set aside to cool, leaving cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Return Dutch oven to medium heat and add potatoes. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Tie cilantro and green onion bunches together with twine.
  4. Add corn, cilantro-onion bundle, and guascas to Dutch oven. Cover and simmer 15–20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and discard; shred chicken into bite-size strips.
  5. Remove cilantro-onion bundle. Return shredded chicken to Dutch oven; simmer 1–2 minutes until chicken is warmed through.
  6. Prepare the toppings. Halve avocados, remove pits and flesh with a spoon, and slice flesh; chop cilantro leaves and capers. Ladle soup into serving bowls and serve with toppings on the side.

Ingredients

  • For the soup
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 ¾ lb)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
  • 2 medium russet (or gold) potatoes
  • 2 medium red potatoes
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 8 frozen cut ears of corn (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels)
  • 1 tablespoon guascas (or dried oregano)
  • For the toppings
  • 2 Hass avocados
  • ½ bunch cilantro leaves
  • 3 tablespoons capers
  • ½ cup crema Mexicana (or sour cream)

Steps

  1. Prepare the soup. Chop yellow onion (1 cup), and garlic (2 tablespoons) coarsely. Place chicken, 2 tablespoons oil, yellow onions, garlic, salt, and pepper in large baking dish and toss to combine (wash hands). Cover and refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).
  2. Preheat 4-quart Dutch oven on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Pour remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven and add chicken mixture. Cook 6 minutes, turning and stirring occasionally, or until chicken is browned. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25–30 minutes until chicken is 165°F. Meanwhile, peel and dice potatoes (about 2 cups each).
  3. Remove chicken and set aside to cool, leaving cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Return Dutch oven to medium heat and add potatoes. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Tie cilantro and green onion bunches together with twine.
  4. Add corn, cilantro-onion bundle, and guascas to Dutch oven. Cover and simmer 15–20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and discard; shred chicken into bite-size strips.
  5. Remove cilantro-onion bundle. Return shredded chicken to Dutch oven; simmer 1–2 minutes until chicken is warmed through.
  6. Prepare the toppings. Halve avocados, remove pits and flesh with a spoon, and slice flesh; chop cilantro leaves and capers. Ladle soup into serving bowls and serve with toppings on the side.

Nutritional information

Amount per ⅛ recipe serving: Calories 410, Total Fat 21.00g, Sat Fat 4.50g, Trans Fat 0.00g, Chol 55mg, Sodium 950mg, Total Carb 35g, Fiber 6.00g, Sugars 4g, Protein 24g, Calc 4%, Vit A 0%, Vit C 0%, Iron 10%