A classic Ajiaco recipe made with vegetables, spices, chicken, herbs and served with capers and cream. This Colombian chicken soup is thick, comforting and filling.
What is Ajiaco?
There are different versions of Ajiaco Bogotano o Santafereño, but it’s a soup usually made with chicken, three kinds of potatoes, corn and an herb called guascas. This herb gives the soup a wonderful flavor. It is very important to use guascas and papa criolla as they are the key ingredients in this dish.
For me, Ajiaco Santafereño is a feel-good comfort food and I like to serve it with avocado on the side. In Colombia Ajiaco is traditionally cooked in clay pots like the one I used in the pictures, but if you don't own one, just use a regular large pot to make this popular Colombian soup.
Each region of Colombia has it own specialties and characteristic dishes. For example, in the capital of the country Bogotá; Ajiaco is a very popular dish. Comforting, filling and absolutely delicious makes this Colombian chicken soup the perfect meal during the cold weather.
What you Need to Make this Recipe
Chicken: I like to use bone in chicken breast to add more flavor to the soup, but feel free to use boneless if you prefer.
Water: You can replace it for chicken or vegetable broth.
Herbs: you need guascas to make ajiaco. I find them dried in small bags online here in the United States, but in Colombia you will find them fresh. I also like to add fresh cilantro to my soup, but if you don't like the flavor just omit it.
Vegetables: You need three different kinds of potatoes to make this soup (red, white and small yellow potatoes (papa criolla) an Andean potato. If you don't have papa criolla, you can replace it with small yellow potatoes. Garlic, corn and Scallions give extra flavor to this dish.
To serve this soup you will need heavy cream and capers.
How to Make this Recipe
In a large pot, place the chicken, corn, chicken bouillon, cilantro, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked and tender. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Continue cooking the corn for about 15 more minutes. Discard green onions and add red potatoes, white potatoes, and the guascas. Cook for 15 more minutes.
Uncover and add the frozen papa criolla and simmer for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
Shred the chicken breast and return to the pot. Serve the Ajiaco hot with capers and heavy cream on the side.
How to Serve this Soup?
Ajiaco can be eaten for lunch or dinner and will keep you full and satisfied. I like to served it with avocado and a green salad on the side. Some people like to serve it with white rice.
Cooking Tips
You can find dried guascas on Amazon.
In the USA yo can find frozen papa criolla in Latin markets.
You can shred the chicken breasts with two forks, but you can also add the cooked chicken breasts to a mixer with a paddle attachment and shred it on low speed.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Cilantro-Lime Rice and Chicken Soup
Sancocho de Gallina (Chicken or Hen Sancocho)
Chicken Noodle Soup (Sopa de Pollo con Pasta)
Caldo de Pollo con Papas (Chicken Broth with Potato Soup)
Sopa de Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice Soup)
Colombian Ajiaco Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast skin removed
- 12 cups water
- 3 ears fresh corn cut into 2 pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 3 scallions
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 2 cups papa criolla Andean Potato
- 3 medium white potatoes peeled and sliced
- 3 medium red potatoes peeled and sliced
- ⅓ cup guascas
- 1 cup heavy cream for serving
- 1 cup capers for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, place the chicken, corn, chicken bouillon, cilantro, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked and tender. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Continue cooking the corn for about 15 more minutes. Discard green onion and add red potatoes, white potatoes, and the guascas. Cook for 15 more minutes.
- Uncover and add the frozen papa criolla and simmer for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
- Shred the chicken breast and return to the pot. Serve the Ajiaco hot with capers and heavy cream on the side.
Notes
- You can find dried guascas on Amazon.
- In the USA yo can find frozen papa criolla in Latin markets.
- I like to serve Ajiaco with avocado and a light salad on the side.
Russ
This looks so good. We are going to make it this weekend. Already grabbed some guascas from our local international market. I was wondering, though, if the "heavy cream" is actually "sour cream" or something like "crema". It looks in the pictures more like a sour cream or a crema than heavy cream, but just wanted to clarify. We definitely want to make it right! Thanks in advance!
Erica Dinho
I use crema, but you can use heavy cream or sour cream
Ericka
Are the papa Criolla supposed to break also?
If the other potato’s haven’t broken / dissolved before you add the chicken do you cook it longer?
Jim S
In step three it says to uncover, but earlier I’m the recipe it doesn’t state that the pot is ever covered. Do I cover it after the initial boil? Thanks!!
Francisco
Ajiaco is a wonderful Colombian dish, especially during a cold day. I had my first ajiaco in Bogota 10 years ago. I love this recipe.