Colombian ajiaco santafereño is a hearty chicken soup associated with Bogotá, made with corn, several kinds of potatoes, and guascas, an aromatic Colombian herb. The potatoes partly melt into the broth while chicken and corn keep the soup substantial; cream, capers, avocado, and rice are served alongside so everyone can finish a bowl to taste. Families and regions have their own versions, but this recipe follows the familiar Bogotá-style combination.
Ingredients
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water or unsalted chicken stock
- 1 medium yellow onion, about 6 oz (170 g), peeled and quartered
- 3 scallions, about 1.5 oz (45 g), trimmed and cut into large pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, about 0.3 oz (9 g), lightly crushed
- 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 3 medium ears corn, about 1.5 lb (680 g), husked and cut crosswise into 2-inch (5 cm) rounds
- 1½ lb (680 g) red potatoes, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
- 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
- 1½ lb (680 g) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
- 2 tbsp (about 3 g) dried guascas
- ⅓ cup (10 g) chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, for serving
- ½ cup (70 g) capers, drained, for serving
- 2 medium avocados, about 10 oz (280 g) total flesh, sliced
- 3 cups (about 480 g) cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the broth. Put the chicken, water or stock, onion, scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the chicken tougher and cloud the broth.
- Check and remove the chicken. Use a food thermometer to check the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone. Chicken must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If it has not reached that temperature after 30 minutes, continue simmering and check again. Lift the cooked thighs onto a plate. Remove and discard the onion, scallions, and garlic if you want a clear broth, or leave them in to soften into the soup.
- Start the corn and firm potatoes. Add the corn rounds and red potato chunks to the simmering broth. Cook for 10 minutes. Keep the liquid at a steady, gentle simmer; add a splash of water if evaporation leaves the potatoes insufficiently covered.
- Add the remaining potatoes and guascas. Stir in the Yukon Gold and russet potatoes and the dried guascas. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring carefully every so often so the potatoes do not stick. The russets should be very soft and begin breaking apart, while the other potatoes should be tender when pierced with a knife. This breakdown is what gives ajiaco its characteristic body; do not try to keep every potato piece intact.
- Shred the chicken. When it is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and tear it into generous bite-size pieces, discarding the bones and any cartilage. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes so it heats through and takes on the broth’s flavor. If the soup is thicker than you like, add hot water or stock a little at a time. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the chopped cilantro, or reserve it as a garnish. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, making sure each serving gets chicken and a piece of corn. Set out the cream, capers, avocado, and cooked rice separately so diners can add what they like. Serve while the broth is hot.
Tips
- Look for guascas if you can. Dried guascas is the herb that gives Bogotá-style ajiaco its distinctive earthy, slightly resinous aroma. It is sold in some Latin American grocery stores and online. If you cannot find it, use 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; that makes a pleasant soup, but it will not taste quite like ajiaco made with guascas. Do not compensate by adding a large amount of another herb.
- Use the potato mix for texture. Traditional Colombian versions often use papa criolla, papa pastusa, and papa sabanera. Those varieties can be difficult to find outside Colombia. Here, russets supply the soft, thickening potato, Yukon Golds provide a creamy middle texture, and red potatoes stand in for waxier potatoes. The flavor and exact texture will differ, but the combination works well with widely available varieties.
- Cut potatoes evenly, not tiny. Chunks around 1½ inches (4 cm) cook through at a similar pace and are easier to scoop with the corn and chicken. If your pieces are smaller, start checking them sooner; if they are much larger, they may need extra simmering time. Stir gently once the russets begin to break down.
- Season in stages. Stock can contain more salt than water, and capers add a salty accent at the table. Start with the measured salt, taste once the potatoes soften, and make the final adjustment before serving. If the broth tastes too salty, dilute it with a little hot water rather than adding more cream.
Serving Suggestions
Ajiaco is usually served as a full meal, with the finishing ingredients placed on the table rather than mixed into the pot. Put a spoonful of rice in each bowl or serve it in a small side dish; offer cream, capers, and avocado separately. Some people stir the capers and cream into the broth, while others keep the bright, tangy capers on the side. Avocado adds a cool, buttery contrast, especially when the soup is piping hot.
Serve extra corn rounds and a small bowl of chopped cilantro for anyone who wants more. A simple green salad or sliced tomato can make the meal feel lighter, but elaborate sides are not necessary: the soup already includes chicken, potatoes, and corn. If serving guests, keep the soup warm over very low heat and put the toppings out just before sitting down. Avoid boiling it for a long time after the potatoes have softened, since continued vigorous cooking can make the broth overly thick and break down the remaining potato pieces.
Variations
Use papa criolla when available. Small Colombian yellow potatoes called papa criolla are especially good in ajiaco because they soften readily and help thicken the broth. Replace some or all of the Yukon Gold potatoes with the same weight of papa criolla, adding them with the later potatoes. Frozen papa criolla can be convenient; follow the package directions for thawing, and expect the soup to take on a deeper yellow color. If it is unavailable, small yellow potatoes are a reasonable substitute, though they are less likely to dissolve in the same way.
Adjust the chicken. Bone-in thighs give the broth flavor and stay moist through simmering. You can use a mix of thighs and drumsticks if the total weight stays near 3 lb (1.36 kg); check each piece for 165°F (74°C), since smaller pieces may finish first. Boneless thighs work in a pinch, but they contribute less flavor to the broth and may cook faster, so use the thermometer rather than relying only on the clock.
Make it meatless. For a vegetarian-style soup, use vegetable stock or water and omit the chicken. Simmer the aromatics and corn, then follow the potato and guascas steps. The result will be a potato-and-corn soup rather than traditional chicken ajiaco, and you may want to add a little more stock and adjust salt to make up for the flavor the chicken would have supplied.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover soup within 2 hours of cooking, ideally in shallow airtight containers so it cools promptly. Keep it for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store the cream, capers, avocado, and rice separately when possible; avocado is best sliced fresh, and rice should also be chilled promptly in its own container. If the soup has been sitting out longer than 2 hours, do not save it for later.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C). Add a splash of water or stock if the potatoes have thickened the broth in the refrigerator. You can also microwave an individual portion in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring partway through and checking that it reaches 165°F (74°C). The potatoes will soften further after storage, so reheat gently rather than bringing the whole pot to a rolling boil.
For longer storage, freeze the soup without the fresh avocado or cream for up to 2 to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little headspace. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat to 165°F (74°C). The potatoes may become softer or slightly grainy after freezing, but the soup will still be suitable for a meal. Add fresh toppings after reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is guascas, and can I leave it out?
Guascas is a dried herb used in Colombian ajiaco, especially the Bogotá-style soup. It has an earthy aroma that is difficult to reproduce exactly. You can leave it out or use a small amount of dried oregano, but the soup will lose some of its characteristic flavor. If a Latin American grocery shop carries it, dried guascas is worth seeking out for this recipe.
Why does ajiaco use more than one kind of potato?
The different textures work together. Starchy potatoes such as russets soften and thicken the broth, while waxier potatoes hold their shape better and give each bowl distinct pieces. Colombian cooks often use local varieties with different cooking qualities; using russet, Yukon Gold, and red potatoes is a practical way to approximate that contrast with common supermarket choices.
Can I make ajiaco ahead?
Yes. You can cook the soup a day ahead, cool and refrigerate it promptly, then reheat it gently to 165°F (74°C) before serving. It will thicken as it sits, so loosen it with hot water or stock while reheating. Prepare the avocado close to mealtime and keep the cream and capers separate until serving for fresher flavor and texture.
How do I know when the potatoes are done?
Push a paring knife or fork into the largest pieces. It should slide through without resistance. The russets may partly fall apart, which is useful for thickening; the red potatoes should remain more defined. If the potatoes are still firm after the stated simmer, keep cooking in 5-minute increments and check again, since potato size and variety affect the timing.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but breast meat can dry out if simmered for the entire potato-cooking time. You can simmer bone-in breasts until the thickest part reaches the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 165°F (74°C), remove them, and shred them while the potatoes finish. Return the meat for the final 5 minutes. Boneless breast cooks faster still, so check it early with a thermometer.
Is ajiaco spicy?
This version is not hot-spicy; its flavor comes from the chicken broth, potatoes, corn, and guascas. Capers provide a salty, tangy topping rather than chile heat. If you want a spicy condiment, serve one separately so each person can add it to their own bowl without changing the flavor of the whole pot.
Related
- Traditional Colombian Arepas: A Homemade Corn Cake Guide
- Colombian Black Cake Recipe with Fruit and Spice
- Milk Street Colombian Empanadas Recipe
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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