Traditional Bogotá ajiaco: the Colombian chicken soup with three potatoes, corn and guascas

Bogotá sits at 2,600 meters above sea level and it is cold all year round. It is no coincidence that the city's signature dish is a thick, hot, hearty soup like ajiaco. The Muisca people were already making it with native potatoes before colonization, and the chicken, capers and cream arrived with the Spanish.

What makes a real ajiaco are the three potatoes: the criolla, small and yellow, which falls apart and thickens the broth; the sabanera, which stays in pieces; and the pastusa, floury. Outside Colombia you can get close by combining small yellow potatoes, regular potatoes and arracacha, which fills the criolla's role well.

The other ingredient no one replaces is guasca, an herb with a flavor somewhere between artichoke and pea. It is sold dried in Latin American shops and online. Without it the soup is still good, but it is not ajiaco.

Recipe card

• Origin: Bogotá, Colombia
• Category: Soup, main course
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation time: 30 minutes
• Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients — soup

• 2 bone-in chicken breasts (or 1 kg thighs and drumsticks)
• 2.5 liters water
• 3 ears of fresh corn cut into thick rounds
• 500 g small yellow potatoes (or arracacha) in cubes
• 500 g regular potatoes in thick slices
• 300 g white sweet potato or floury potato in cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 whole scallions
• 3 tablespoons dried guascas
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients — for serving

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup capers
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced
• Cooked white rice (optional)

Method

1. Put the chicken, water, onion, garlic, scallions and a pinch of salt in a large pot and simmer over medium heat for 40 minutes, skimming the foam.
2. Remove the chicken, let it cool a little, shred into large pieces and set aside. Discard the scallions.
3. Add the small yellow potatoes to the broth and cook for 15 minutes, until they start to fall apart.
4. Add the regular potatoes, the sweet potato, the corn and half of the guascas and cook for another 30 minutes over low heat, stirring now and then.
5. When the broth is thick and the regular potatoes are tender but whole, add the shredded chicken and the rest of the guascas.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, adjust salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
7. Serve in deep bowls with a round of corn in each, and bring the cream, capers and avocado to the table for everyone to finish their own.

Tips and variations

• The more the yellow potato falls apart, the creamier the broth: mash a few pieces against the pot if needed.
• Without guascas, use a teaspoon of oregano and a handful of cilantro at the end, knowing the flavor changes.
• The capers and cream go on the table, not in the pot: everyone adds their own and the leftovers do not curdle.
• Ajiaco is traditionally served with white rice on the side, even though it is a soup.
• Freezes well without the toppings; when reheating, add water if it has thickened too much.
• Free-range chicken makes a tastier broth, with a longer cooking time.
• Serve with a slice of bread or a small arepa.

On a cold afternoon, a deep bowl of ajiaco with avocado and cream is all a Bogotá native wants. Make it at home and understand why the city is so proud of this soup.