This is our version of a Colombian recipe (Ajiaco) that hinges on using several different kinds of potatoes, which are native to South America. The soup is served with a variety of garnishes, including a special salsa, “Aji”, that for us, truly defines the dish.

Ajiaco soup has all sorts of variations, but they all seem to rely on potatoes — some of which are cooked so long they dissolve, thickening the soup — corn (usually on the cob), and chicken. We decided to finely dice russet potatoes so they would dissolve quickly, and we pureed the soup base with an immersion blender, which saved hours of cooking time. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can either puree the soup base in a blender, or just cook it until the diced potatoes dissolve.

Colombian Chicken Soup

It’s important to use bone-on pieces of chicken here, as they are both cheaper and will make your soup broth more flavorful.

Garnishes are up to you. They almost always include capers, avocados and cilantro, and will often include a salsa or a crema, which, depending on your perspective is either thin sour cream or a thick regular cream.

We used tiny, multi-colored potatoes to finish the dish, but you can use any mix of potatoes — just make sure to not use all russets. Red skinned potatoes, purple potatoes, fingerlings and small Yukon Golds are all good choices.

Colombian Chicken Soup Recipe

  • Prep time: 25 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 10 to 12

The real version of this dish requires a special herb called guasca, which is a unique flavor. We added bay leaves to get somewhere close.

Ingredients

Soup Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds chicken thighs and legs, skin removed, rinsed well
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt
  • 1 1/2 quarts water
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 pounds small potatoes, of various colors
  • 2 ears of fresh corn, cut crosswise into 1-2 inch rounds

Aji Ingredients:

  • 4 scallions (white and light green parts only)
  • 2 Roma or other plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles or 2 fresh hot red chiles, stems and seeds removed (wear gloves, do NOT touch your eyes!)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 3 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • Garnish: capers, sour cream, avocados, cilantro

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