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.
Mike G
Erica - I am going to make this dish this weekend it looks very very good. But what is the green salsa on the small dish on the third picture? It's on the dish with the limes. Please let us know. Thanks,
Erica
Ají (Colombian Hot Sauce)
steve
I am cooking this right now. I have cooked it several times but I forget some ingredients so I come to this website to get refreshed. San cocho with beef is one of my favorite meals, but the chicken is great also.
whilehewasout
This must be a really amazing heart-warming soup! So rich, I love the addition of corn! Reminds me of a 'potaje' my (Spanish) boyfriend's mom made once, yum!
maria
i made this today - it is delicious. thank you for the recipe.
i look forward to making more recipes from this site that i discovered today.
happy new year to you!
Mary
We are hosting a Colombian high school student and would like to bring something representative of Colombia to a potluck lunch on Saturday. Do you have any suggestions (with a recipe if possible)?
Thank you!
Erica
Hi Mary,
This Arroz con Pollo recipe is a great dish for a large group of people and it is easy to make and delicious.
https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/chicken-and-rice-arroz-con-pollo/
Anonymous
My daughter in law is from Medellin also. She made this dish a couple of months ago and I have to admit it is the best. I hope she's reading your blog. Hint,hint Blanca. lol
Diana C
Erica,
I am in love with your website, since i found it few weeks ago, i have been trying to follow your recipes and i have been visiting the foreign markets here tryign to get as many colombian ingredients as i can find..i am from cali colombia but i live in manchester UK. And it is not easy to find colombian ingreedients and there are none dolombian restuarants here..so it has been a pleasure for me to find your website and try to bring a bit of colombian flavours to my home..thanks to you
Andres
Erica, Your soup looks great
I am also from Cali Colombia and we enjoy our soups especially when we go to Columbia we go to the river and make some it's and very traditional very delicious
norma
so happy to see this site! great job. Colombian food is heart warming!!! love it.
If you get the pleasure to have this soup you will forget about any other type of "chicken soup" or any other soups. It just hits the spot every time! Si Dios Quiere estare en Bogota esta Navidad y aprovechando de este plato y muchos mas!
Mireya
Comida de Colombia....Delicioso. Me gusta mucho tu pagina muy bien disenada y las recetas son muy ricas.
Larry
Just wanted to point out a tricky distinction that gets many people confused. In Latin America often when people talk about Gallina they are specifically talking about Hen. Hen meat is very different from regular chicken. It is a much tougher more muscular meat. Some would even consider it a bit gamey. Also a well-made sancocho at least the DR and Colombian versions would be best described as a stew moreso than a soup.
MELISSA
I made this today and it is so good i kinda want to cry. I have made almost every colombian recipe in your website. My husband loves it
Lina
Oh this hit the spot! I am from New York and where I have moved to here in Cali there are NO Colombian restaurants!! NONE!! I stumbled across your page and thank you for the empanada recipe (I LOVE COLOMBIAN EMPANADAS!) and this one was great too. I have brought some "sabor" to my new found family here in California and have been able to educate them on the difference between Latin American dishes such as Colombian and that it is NOT the same as Mexican! Gracias!
Aida
This was one of my favorite dishes my mother made. This was the last dish my mother made me and my brothers with rice and tostones on the side yumm while watching a canal caracol comedy.. Great memories!.
Martin
I made this sancocho recipe last weekend and it was really good. It is perfect and the flavor is delicious. I really like all your Colombian recipes. Thank you and your family for this wonderful blog.
Pilar
I am so glad I found your website!! I am Colombian and my husband is American. I don't like to cook much... he cooks all the time. I made this sancocho and it was delicious!! my husband loved it too! I will be cooking with him and enjoying all these great dishes that I miss sooo much and can't find here in AZ. Thanks Erica 🙂