Sancocho de Pollo o Gallina is a popular dish in Colombia. It's a hearty and filling chicken soup made with potatoes, plantain, corn, yuca, herbs and chicken or hen. This one pot meal is delicious served with avocado on the side.
What is Sancocho?
Sancocho is a common Colombian and Latin dish that you can make with fish, plantain, beef, chicken, pigeon peas or pork. Sancocho de Gallina or Sancocho Valluno is originally from the Colombian Region El Valle. Traditionally this soup is made with hens, but you can use chicken too.
I have a lot of good memories associated with this dish. One memory is of my grandmother cooking a big pot of sancocho de pollo and having all of her nine children with their families for lunch on Sundays. I would wait all week for that day to come to see all of my cousins and let me tell you, that was a party. In Colombia when we get together it is always a reason to dance and drink, no matter what time of the day. Another great memory I have associated with this dish is going with my friends from high school on a weekend to a farm or country house and cooking this soup outside on the fire. The smoky flavor from cooking over an open fire is amazing and this is a popular way to cook beans and sancocho in Colombia. Serve it with avocado, white rice and ají on the side.
Sancocho de Pollo Ingredients
This soup recipe calls for basic ingredients you may have on hand and it's easy to make. The full printable recipe card with ingredients list and directions is below.
Corn: I like to use fresh corn on the cob, but if you can't find it use frozen corn.
Liquid: I recommend using chicken or vegetable broth if you prefer more flavor.
Aliños: Here is my recipe for Colombian style aliños
Chicken: I like to use a whole chicken, but you can use just legs, thighs o breast. Use your favorite chicken pieces.
Spices: Cumin, salt and pepper
Vegetables: Green plantains, potatoes and yuca.
Herbs: Fresh cilantro, if you don't like cilantro use parsley.
This Chicken Sancocho is a warming and soothing soup that is hearty and satisfying. This recipe also reheats well so you’ll love having leftovers. Once the soup has cooled to room temperature, cover leftover soup and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Other Popular and All-Time Favorite Traditional Colombian Dishes: Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice), Empanadas Colombianas (Colombian Empanadas), Ajiaco Bogotano (Chichen and Potato Soup), Bandeja Paisa (Paisa Tray), Pandebono (Cheese Bread), Buñuelos (Cheese Balls) and Arepas Rellenas de Queso.
More Soup Recipes
Crema de Alcachofas (Artichokes Soup)
Caldo de Pollo y Papas (Chicken and Potato Broth)
Crema de Aguacate (Avocado Creamy Soup)
Receta Sancocho de Pollo o Gallina
Ingredients
- 3 ears of fresh corn cut into 3 pieces
- 12 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup of aliños
- 1 large whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 green plantains peeled and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
- 6 medium potatoes peeled and cut in half
- 1 pound frozen yuca cut into large pieces
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, place the chicken, corn, aliños, salt and green plantain. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, cassava and bell pepper and continue cooking for 30 more minutes or until the cassava and potatoes are tender. Add the cilantro.
- Test and adjust the seasoning. Serve in large soup bowls, dividing the chicken and vegetables evenly.
HERMIN
My family has been in the sancocho business for over 60 years, basically most of the sancochos that I have tried are very watery and not much seasoning. I invite all sancocho lover to check out El Portal de Pance were you can find the best sancocho in the world, yes I the best.
Cali Colombia via la Voragine Pance.
Diana Karam
Hola Hermin.
I am from your area too. Centro recreativo La Bombonera. We make sancocho for tourists and guests, as well. I was happy to see you here. Made me feel nostalgic to Cali, Colombia La Voragine, Via a Pance. Cheers!!
Mark Woodhull
Colombian Sancocho....food of the gods...
Heather
I made this for my Colombian husband the other day and he loved it! He said it tasted just like at home!
Thank you for helping me bring smiles to my house!
Andrea
Erica, this sancocho was delicious.I made it yesterday and we ate it today again. I was fantastic.
Anonymous
This sancocho tasted like my mom's....Thank you so much for teaching us how to cook these wonderful Colombian dishes. This recipe was very easy to follow.
Diana
WoW Awesome... Thank you for the great recipes !!! =]
Caroline
I made this last night and used fish instead of chicken. It was delicious...perfect comfort food for the cold rainy weather we've had lately. We ate it with aji that was left over from when I made empanadas a few days ago.
Dennise
I made this dish today and it tastes wonderful!! I am also from Medellin and I miss my traditional food. Erica, Thank you for taking the time to write this fabulous blog. I get great dinner ideas from it.
Erica
Dennise-Thank you for your feedback!
Angie's Recipes
This is my cup of soup....with some steamed rice.
Angie's Recipes
Torben
Dona Flor...Cali - the greatest sancocho...and lots og aquadiente tam bien..
Mark
I agree. Sancocho de Gallina Valluna has no equal anywhere in Colombia, with or without aguardiente. 🙂
Carlos
Wow...i love your website! Specially my wife...she's not much of a cook, but i love to get my hands dirty in the kitchen, when i tried making some of your dishes for her, it brought back soooooo many memories of her childhood. She stated that she felt like she was back home.
I have a question...for the fish sancocho, how different is that dish (ingredients) from the chicken sancocho?
Erica
Hi Carlos,
Thank you for the nice comment! I am glad you like the site.
We have different recipes for fish sancocho. You can use the same ingredients I used in this recipe, but use white fish cut into steaks. I will post some recipes for fish sancocho soon....In Colombia every region has a different sancocho recipe, in the coast of the country some people make the fish sancocho in coconut milk and it is delicious!
Erica
Thanks for all the comments!
Hi Sapuche,
Thank you for your feedback, I am glad you like the flavors.
Sapuche
I gave this a try last night and it was GREAT! Easy to make, too, once I had all the ingredients, and so flavorful. I loved the tenderness of the chicken after the long, slow cooking. Thanks again!
Chow and Chatter
yummy love your blog
Sapuche
You obviously have great memories attached to this dish, which I'm sure heightens your pleasure whenever you make this. It looks incredible to me, and I can almost imagine the flavors through your photo. Sancocho de gallina may prove difficult for me to make, but I'm definitely going to try. Thanks for this!
Ruby
This is the same recipe I got from my mother in law. It is perfect! Thank you for posting!
Micaela
Do you think this would be possible in the crockpot? Wondering how maybe the plantain or yucca might do.
Joan Nova
I'm more familiar with the Dominican version but this looks delicious too.
Gera @ SweetsFoods
A very tempting comfort dish ideal to re-power oneself with a lot of energy.
I bet with aji (hot hot) and avocado must be good companions 🙂
Cheers!
Gera