Chicken Ajiaco with Rice and Avocado
Dive into the heart of Colombian cuisine with Bogota-style ajiaco, one of Latin America's most iconic soups. This comforting dish, made with shredded chicken, three varieties of potatoes, and the aromatic herb guascas, is a true symbol of Bogota's gastronomy. Served with white rice and a half avocado, it will delight the whole family.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
For 6 people — Prep time: 20 min — Cook time: 1 h 30 min
For the soup
- 1 kg chicken (thighs and drumsticks, bone-in)
- 500 g papa criolla (Colombian yellow potato, or yellow-fleshed potato)
- 400 g papa pastusa (floury potato, Bintje or Russet type)
- 400 g papa nevada (firm white potato, Charlotte type)
- 3 ears of corn, cut into rounds
- 2 tablespoons dried guascas (Colombian aromatic herb, available in Latin grocery stores)
- 1 white onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 stalks chives (or green onion)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 liters water or chicken broth
To serve
- Cooked white rice (approximately 300 g raw)
- 3 avocados, halved
- Thick fresh cream (or sour cream)
- Drained capers
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
Preparation
Step 1 — Cook the chicken
In a large pot, place the chicken pieces with the minced onion, crushed garlic, and chives. Cover with 2 liters of water (or broth). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Skim regularly to get a clear broth.
Step 2 — Add the potatoes
Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the pastusa and nevada potatoes (peeled and cut into pieces), as well as the corn rounds to the broth. Cook for 20 minutes over medium heat. The floury potatoes will naturally thicken the broth, giving it its characteristic creamy texture.
Step 3 — Add the papa criolla and guascas
Stir in the papa criolla (whole if small, otherwise halved) and the dried guascas. Continue cooking for 20 additional minutes. Guascas are the key ingredient: they bring that slightly earthy and herbaceous taste that distinguishes ajiaco from any other soup.
Step 4 — Shred the chicken
Meanwhile, shred the chicken with a fork, removing the skin and bones. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld well.
Step 5 — Prepare the rice and accompaniments
Cook the white rice according to your usual method. Halve the avocados lengthwise and remove the pit. Place the fresh cream, capers, and fresh cilantro in small bowls.
Step 6 — Serve
Serve the hot ajiaco in large bowls. Accompany each portion with a bowl of white rice and a half avocado. Each diner adds fresh cream, capers, and cilantro directly to their bowl as desired.
Tips and Variations
- Guascas are essential for authenticity. They can be found in Latin American grocery stores, specialty world food stores, or easily online (Amazon, online grocery stores). Some herbs like bay leaf or thyme can partially replace them, but the taste will be different.
- Potato substitution: If you cannot find the three Colombian varieties, use a floury potato (Bintje), a firm-fleshed one (Charlotte), and a yellow-fleshed one (Agria) to approximate the original result.
- Slow cooker version: You can prepare ajiaco in a slow cooker by cooking on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.
- Storage: Ajiaco can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator and freezes very well (without the avocado). The broth thickens as it cools — add a little hot water when reheating.
- Avocado tip: Drizzle cut avocados with a little lime juice to prevent oxidation.
Nutritional Values
Per serving (soup + rice + half avocado) — approximate values:
- Calories: ~620 kcal
- Protein: ~38 g
- Carbohydrates: ~65 g
- Fat: ~20 g
- Fiber: ~7 g
- Sodium: ~480 mg
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS BOGOTA AJIACO?
Bogota ajiaco is the national soup of Bogota, the capital of Colombia. It is distinguished by the use of three varieties of potatoes (papa criolla, pastusa, and nevada) and the herb guascas, which give it a creamy texture and unique taste. It is a festive and sharing dish, served on special family occasions.
WHERE CAN I FIND GUASCAS OUTSIDE OF COLOMBIA?
Dried guascas can be found in Latin American grocery stores, specialty world food stores, or easily online (Amazon, online grocery stores). Some herbs like bay leaf or thyme can partially replace them, but the taste will be different.
CAN AJIACO BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE?
Yes, ajiaco is even better the next day! The flavors develop over time. Prepare it the day before, store it in the refrigerator, and reheat gently over medium heat, adding a little water if necessary. Prepare the avocados and rice just before serving.
CAN CHICKEN BE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER PROTEIN?
Traditionally, ajiaco is prepared only with chicken. However, for a vegetarian version, you can replace the chicken with chickpeas or firm tofu, and use a vegetable broth. The result will be different but tasty.
HOW TO SERVE AJIACO AUTHENTICALLY?
In Colombia, ajiaco is served in a large deep bowl, accompanied by white rice, a half avocado, a bowl of fresh cream, and a small bowl of capers. Each diner customizes their bowl according to their taste. Fresh cilantro is added as a final garnish.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AJIACO AND SANCOCHO?
Ajiaco and sancocho are two popular Colombian soups, but distinct. Ajiaco is specific to Bogota and uses guascas and three varieties of potatoes for a creamy broth. Sancocho is more widespread throughout the country, uses various root vegetables (yucca, plantain, corn) and has a clearer, thinner broth.