Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.

Colombian Potato Soup with Chicken, Corn and Capers (Ajiáco)
Mariana Velásquez, food stylist and author of “Colombiana,” says the unique soup called ajiáco is much loved in Bogotá, Colombia, as well as in the surrounding areas. The dish holds special cultural significance because of its pre-Hispanic origins. We made a few adaptations to Velásquez’s recipe, namely adding cut corn kernels in addition to sections of corn on the cob, one of the defining ingredients of the rustic soup. Ajiáco made the traditional way requires three varieties of potatoes. We use varieties widely available in the U.S.—russets, which break down with cooking and lend the broth creaminess, Yukon Golds for their color and buttery flavor, and waxy potatoes, added near the end of cooking, that retain their dense, firm texture. Guascas is an herb used to season ajiáco, but it’s difficult to come by in the U.S. If you can find it, by all means, use it; otherwise, Velásquez suggests substituting an equal amount of chopped celery leaves. Offer lots of napkins at the table, as you’ll need your fingers as well as a spoon to enjoy this meal in a bowl.
6
Servings
Don’t forget to remove the skin from the chicken breasts before adding them to the pot. This will prevent the broth from becoming greasy.
1¾ hours
30 minutes active
Ingredients
-
2
pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, skin removed and discarded
-
1
pound russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
Directions
-
01Place the chicken breasts in a large (at least 8-quart) pot. Add the russet and Yukon Gold potatoes, scallions, corn cobs (without kernels), celery, cilantro, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add 6 cups water and bring to a simmer over high, occasionally skimming off and discarding the foam that rises to the top. Reduce to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the thickest part of the chicken breasts reach 160°F, 25 to 30 minutes.