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Ajiaco Bogotano – Colombian Chicken and (Not So) Potato Soup

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Ajiaco

In the beautiful choreography that is making a soup– adding this, removing that and calculating boiling temperatures– this one is extraordinarily simple in execution. It’s comforting, gut-warming and feels like home. I learned of this dish from my mother-in-law. If something is bothering you, “Toma ajiaco“. Celebrating something? Ajiaco. Is it a holiday or is it cold out? Ajiaco. You get it. Much like the Jewish cure for everything, the Colombians have an answer to the blues as well. With temperatures continuing to challenge even the bravest of souls–though it did not stop me from attending the hockey Winter Classic at Yankee Stadium (yay NY Rangers!!), talk about coooooooooolllld– this soup was bound to make its debut here. It’s simple kitchen work that keeps your mind on the task at hand.

Ajiaco was the next logical culinary choice to use the stock from the tinga de pollo tacos.  For most people ajiaco is all about the potatoes. Traditionally hailing from Bogota, Colombia’s capital, the soup uses three different types of potatoes. As the soup simmers the starchy potatoes break down completely, thickening the soup to a luxuriously creamy consistency. I have never had my ajiaco with potatoes because my husband has an allergy to potatoes. My mother-in-law always substitutes yucca, which I actually like better. However, on short notice I was unable to get uptown to pick up the yucca so my rendition here has the next best thing, green plantains and sweet potato. It was fabulous, but I highly recommend yucca as well. The dish traditionally contains guascas, a native mountain herb with an aroma somewhere in between bay leaf, catnip, and parlsey. It’s only available in Latin markets so I usually just go wild with the cilantro, add a few bay leaves and some parsley.

The soup is served along with a generous amount of extras. I used the shredded (desmenuzado!) chicken breast, substituted Greek yogurt for sour cream, and added tangy capers, which infused the broth with a new flavor. Most importantly, I made an onion and cilantro-base aji (which I then used over a roast the next night, but it’s also great on fish, chicken, whatever). The star player in this dish though, aside from potatoes, is corn. On top of the regular variety, the recipes sometimes call for large-kerneled, starchy South American corn. I skipped this because it takes forever to boil, but it’s so worth it if you have foresight. Top the whole thing with avocado slices and you’re good to go. 

ajiaco

Adapted from my mother-in-law’s table with guidance from SeriousEats.com because sometimes (and I’m not saying that it’s on purpose) my lovely mother-in-law will forget to mention certain ingredients, or maybe forget how long to leave it boiling or leave out a key ingredient. I think it’s to keep her son coming home for the good stuff. 

If perchance, you’re one of the newer readers who stumbled upon this wonderful stew through Facebook, welcome! Could someone please leave a comment below with the Facebook page address you came from? It’s a bit of mystery to me and I’d love to be able to return the favor. Gracias! Buen provecho!

Ajiaco Bogotano

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

For the soup:
  • 1-2 lbs. cut-up chicken breast, skin removed, rinsed well
  • 1 large white onion, peeled and cut into quarters
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 ears fresh corn, cut crosswise into quarters
  • 2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 yuccas cut crosswise into quarters
  • 1 sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 greenish/yellow plaintain, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper
For the aji:
  • 4 scallions (white and light green parts only)
  • 1 medium tomato, peeled and seeded
  • 1 small white onion, peeled
  • 1 habanero chili, stems and seeds removed (wear gloves, and don’t touch your eyes)
  • 3 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves
  • 3 Tbs. white vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
For the garnishes:
  • 2 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup nonpareil or other small capers, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

ajiaco

Directions:

Make the soup:

Put the chicken in a large stockpot and add 8 cups water or if you already have broth, use the chicken broth and some water to equal about 8 cups of liquid, enough to cover the new chicken. The extra broth will make it infinitely more flavorful. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, frequently skimming off the foam that floats to the surface.

Add all the vegetables, the garlic and the cilantro to the pot, along with the salt and pepper. Stir a few times to distribute the vegetables and submerge as many of the solids as possible. When the broth returns to a gentle boil, partially cover the pot and simmer, stirring once or twice, for about 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked through. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pick out the chicken pieces and put them in a large bowl. Stir the soup with a large spoon, breaking up some of the starches to thicken the soup slightly. Keep hot if serving soon or let cool and refrigerate.

With two forks, shred the chicken and put the shredded chicken in a serving bowl.

Make the aji:

In a food processor, pulse all the aji ingredients until they’re finely minced. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve the ajiaco:

Put the avocados, Greek yogurt, capers and cilantro leaves in small bowls and set them on the table along with the bowls of shredded chicken and the aji. Ladle the soup into large soup bowls, putting a quarter ear of corn in each bowl. Let your guests add the garnishes and the aji as they like.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Darya

    Wow, Amanda. This looks delicious, so comforting, packed with different flavors, textures and spices. And your last picture with the snowy landscape is really beautiful. I had to Google yucca, as I knew it was a beautiful white flower, but had no idea you could eat the root. I might have seen it at the market, but I’m not sure. I was surprised with your addition of capers, which I love, it is a common ingredient in South American cuisines?

    • Amanda

      Thanks, Darya. I hadn’t seen capers before in a soup, but in this one, it’s common! The lake is outside my brother’s house. As for yucca, some countries call it cassava and it’s so good! It’s brown and waxy on the outside, but white on the inside. I’m actually eating it fried as I’m typing to you, like potato chips. SO. Good. This is a dish worth making…or when you come to NY I’ll make it for you!

      • Darya

        Oh, ok! Cassava in French is manioc, and that I know can be found in African and Asian food stores! I bet they are really good for you on top of being delicious!

  2. Eliza B

    I just had this when I was in Bogota! Truly a classic comfort food. I love the updates you made to it! Plantains are so wonderful and I imagine they lend a certain sweetness to the soup as well.

    • Amanda

      Oh I’m so jealous. I want to go to Bogota so badly! The plantains add a hint of sweetness, but not too much if you use the greener ones. So glad you got to have this in its natural state!

  4. tinywhitecottage

    It’s a perfected recipe. Love how you added capers and your “aji” is another bit of perfection too. This sounds a bit like a soup I make. I call it “spicy chicken soup”. I tend to put some heat on it so it is quite different in that way. If you have a moment and would like to take a look I would love to hear your feedback (I cherish it greatly). I can send you the link to it. xx

  6. Jovina Coughlin

    This is a very interesting post, Amanda. I am not familiar with this soup but I really enjoyed reading about how you make it. I am not sure I could duplicate the ingredients, not having access to Latina markets as you do in NYC. Question-how do you eat the corn on the cob – pick it up , take a few bites and put it back in the soup? Very hardy and perfect dinner for these cold days.

    • Amanda

      Thanks, Jovina. Yes you eat the corn exactly that way. It gets really soft and wonderful. The soup is an experience. I don’t know why I’d never attempted it before, probably because I felt it wasn’t my territory, but this was a special request. If you’re ever in NYC, I’ll make it for you!

  9. Fig & Quince

    Beautiful writing and recipe and food. I’m not at all familiar with this soup, although it looks utterly delicious (and such varied and surprising ingredients) and I’m entirely willing to adopt ajiaco as a cure-all answer as well. Loved the choreography allusion!

    • Amanda

      Thanks, Azita. It really is delicious. I’m always so excited when someone completely surprises me with a dish. Stay warm, my friend.

  10. Johnny Hepburn

    For once I’m glad I’m that nosy as I’ve just read your response to Darya. My local store sells cassava and earlier, whilst shopping, I picked one up wondering what on earth I could do with it. I guess the dudhi experience recently has dulled my adventurous streak! Well, now I know to buy it! Seriously, avocado in soup? We’ll see…

    • Amanda

      Haha! You can do so much with cassava and i totally had the same reaction to avocado in soup, but I had it in Peru too and clearly they do it in Colombia. If they can do it, I can do it. In the east indies they make bread out of cassava. I want to see a cassava post from you!

  14. Cheesy Biscuit

    Wow – amazing. Have never come across a recipe like this before – I’m not very familiar with Colombian food – it’s one of those cuisines that hasn’t really taken off over here in the UK. Love the idea of this, especially with the avocado!

    • Amanda

      Thanks for dropping by. Yes, I think the States, because of our location has, a unique infiltration of Latin cuisine and we’re all the luckier for it.