Bogotá's iconic thick chicken soup made with three types of potato and guascas herb — hearty, unique and deeply comforting.
Ajiaco Santafereño is Bogotá's signature dish and one of the most distinctive soups in all of Latin America. What makes it unique is the combination of three different types of potato — papa criolla (small yellow potato that melts into the broth), papa pastusa (large waxy potato that holds its shape) and papa sabanera (which dissolves to thicken the soup) — and guascas (dried Galinsoga herb), an aromatic herb with a faint artichoke-like flavour that is essential and irreplaceable. The result is a thick, creamy, intensely comforting soup served with heavy cream, capers and avocado.
Serves 6
Add chicken, onion, garlic, green onions and water to a large pot. Bring to a boil. Skim foam. Simmer 30 minutes.
Remove chicken. Add all three potato types, corn rounds and guascas to the broth. Simmer 25 minutes.
The floury potatoes will dissolve and naturally thicken the broth — stir occasionally to help them break down.
Shred chicken meat and discard bones and skin. Return to the pot.
Season generously with salt. The broth should be thick and creamy from the dissolved potatoes.
Ladle into deep bowls. Serve with cream, capers and avocado slices on the side for diners to add to taste.
The three-potato combination is what makes ajiaco unique — don't simplify to one type.
Guascas can be found at Latin American grocery stores or online — there is no substitute.
Add one or two ears of corn earlier so the kernels infuse the broth with sweetness.
Make it vegetarian by replacing chicken with more potato, squash and mushrooms.
Bogotá-style: add a few sprigs of cilantro to the broth while cooking.
Keeps 4 days in the fridge. Thickens significantly as it sits — add stock when reheating.
Ajiaco is believed to derive from pre-Columbian indigenous cooking of the Bogotá savannah, where potato was a dietary staple. The Spanish added chicken after the conquest. It became the signature dish of Bogotá (formally Santa Fe de Bogotá, hence 'Santafereño') and is served at every level of Colombian society, from street stalls to five-star restaurants.
Guascas (Galinsoga parviflora) is a dried herb with a faint artichoke-like, slightly earthy flavour. It is absolutely essential to ajiaco — no other herb replicates it. Find it at Colombian or Latin American grocery stores, or order online.
Papa criolla is a small, intensely yellow Colombian potato with a buttery, slightly sweet flavour. Yukon Gold or Charlotte potatoes are the closest widely available substitute.
Per serving · 6 servings total
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