Ajiaco Bogotano (Colombian Chicken, Corn & Potato Soup)

Name: Ajiaco Bogotano (Colombian Chicken, Corn & Potato Soup)
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless chicken breasts; 4 cups chicken broth; 12 oz frozen corn (or 3 ears, cut in chunks); 4 scallions, left whole; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 bunch cilantro, divided; 2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced; 1½ lb baby gold potatoes, halved; ½ cup heavy cream, for serving; ¼ cup capers, for serving; 3 avocados, sliced, for serving; 1 tbsp dried oregano (or 3 tbsp dried guascas); salt; pepper

LunchColombian75 minServes 6655 kcal45 g protein

Photo: Mauricio Giraldo from Bogotá, Colombia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Bogotá's beloved soup: chicken and corn simmered with potatoes until some dissolve into a thick, velvety broth, finished at the table with cream, capers and avocado.

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Ingredients

2 lb boneless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
12 oz frozen corn (or 3 ears, cut in chunks)
4 scallions, left whole
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch cilantro, divided
2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1½ lb baby gold potatoes, halved
½ cup heavy cream, for serving
¼ cup capers, for serving
3 avocados, sliced, for serving

From your pantry: 1 tbsp dried oregano (or 3 tbsp dried guascas), salt, pepper.

Instructions

Put the chicken, broth, 4 cups water, corn, scallions, garlic, half the cilantro (tied in a bundle) and 1½ tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Lift out the chicken.
Discard the scallions and cilantro bundle. Add the sliced russets and the oregano or guascas and simmer, stirring now and then, for 20 minutes, until the slices start to break down.
Add the gold potatoes and simmer until tender and the soup is thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes more. Mash some of the potatoes against the pot if it needs more body.
Shred the chicken, return it to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Chop the remaining cilantro.
Ladle into bowls and pass the cream, capers, avocado and cilantro at the table for everyone to add.

Tip: The real thing uses three potatoes, including tiny yellow papas criollas (sold frozen in Latin markets), plus the herb guascas. Both are worth seeking out; dried oregano is only a stand-in.