Panama's soul-warming national soup — free-range chicken simmered with otoe root, culantro, and ñame in a fragrant golden broth.
Sancocho is Panama's national dish and the soup of celebrations, recoveries, and family Sundays. It is a simple, extraordinarily flavourful chicken soup made with gallina vieja (mature hen, which produces a rich, golden broth), otoe (a starchy root vegetable similar to taro), ñame (yam), culantro (the pungent herb also called shadow beni), and oregano. The dish is traditionally cooked in massive pots for large family gatherings and festival days. Sancocho is considered curative — Panama's version of chicken soup — and is given to the sick, to new mothers, and to anyone who needs strength. Each Latin American country has its own sancocho, but Panama's is distinguished by its simplicity and the essential role of culantro, which gives it its distinctive herbal fragrance.
Serves 6
Place chicken pieces in a large pot with water, onion, garlic, and half the culantro. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes.
Add taro, yam, and corn (if using). Simmer a further 25–30 minutes until vegetables are very tender and beginning to break down naturally, thickening the broth.
The taro/otoe naturally thickens the broth as it cooks — this is what gives Panamanian sancocho its characteristic body.
Add oregano, remaining culantro, and salt. Taste and adjust — the broth should be deeply savoury and fragrant.
Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each serving gets chicken, root vegetables, and plenty of golden broth. Serve with white rice on the side — traditionally, rice is added directly into the bowl.
An older hen (gallina vieja) produces a far richer, more golden broth than a young chicken — worth seeking out at ethnic grocery stores.
Culantro is essential for authentic flavour; fresh coriander is a reasonable substitute.
The soup improves dramatically overnight — make it a day ahead.
Add plantain rounds for a sweeter version.
Include green plantain dumplings (bolitas) for extra substance.
Make a beef sancocho with short ribs for a heartier occasion.
Refrigerates beautifully for 4 days. The flavour deepens each day. Freeze without the root vegetables (they become mushy).
Sancocho arrived in Panama with Spanish colonisers, who brought the concept of the pot-au-feu style boiled dinner. It evolved in Panama using local ingredients — otoe, ñame, culantro — and a local preference for simple, restorative cooking over complex seasoning. Today sancocho panameño is served at every major occasion from Carnival to funerals, earning its status as the country's most beloved comfort food.
Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is a serrated herb with an intense coriander-like flavour, used widely in the Caribbean and Latin America. Find it at Caribbean or Latin grocery stores; fresh coriander is the best substitute.
Yes, though older hens or free-range chickens give a notably richer broth. If using a standard chicken, simmer an extra 20 minutes and add a splash of chicken stock for depth.
Per serving · 6 servings total
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