Colombian Ajiaco Bogotano (Chicken & Potato Soup)
Bogotá's soul in a bowl. Three types of potato, corn, chicken, and guasca herb create a thick, comforting soup that every costeño eventually learns to love. My cold-weather go-to.
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
60 min
Servings
4
🛒 Ingredients
Serves 4
- 500 gchicken breast or thighs
- 300 gpapa criolla (or Yukon gold), peeled & halved
- 300 gpapa pastusa (or russet potato), peeled & sliced
- 200 gpapa amarilla (or waxy potato), peeled
- 2corn cobs, cut into 4 pieces each
- 1large onion, quartered
- 4cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tbspdried guasca herb (essential!)
- 2chicken stock cubes or 1.5L stock
- Salt & pepper to taste
- — To serve
- Heavy cream or crema de leche
- Capers and sliced avocado
🌿 Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
👨🍳 Instructions
1
Place the chicken, onion, garlic, and corn in a large pot. Cover with 1.5L of water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly.
2
Add all three types of potato to the broth. The papa criolla will begin to dissolve and naturally thicken the soup — this is what gives ajiaco its characteristic cloudy, starchy consistency. Cook on medium for 20–25 minutes.
3
Add the dried guasca herb. This is the non-negotiable ingredient that defines ajiaco — it has a slightly herby, anise-adjacent flavor you can't replicate. Stir in and continue simmering.
4
Shred the cooled chicken with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Return to the pot. The papa criolla should be almost completely dissolved by now, giving the soup a thick, creamy body. The other potatoes should be tender but still hold their shape.
5
Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls with a piece of corn. Serve with a small pitcher of cream to drizzle, capers on the side, and sliced avocado. Guests add their own cream and capers — this is part of the ajiaco experience.
💡 Chef's Tips
The three potatoes matter: Each type plays a different role. Papa criolla dissolves and thickens. Papa pastusa/russet holds some shape. Papa amarilla provides a buttery texture. In a pinch, just use two varieties, but the tricolor potato blend is what makes ajiaco, ajiaco.
Guasca: Find it in Latin grocery stores or online. There's no real substitute — dried guasca is sold in envelopes and a little goes a long way.
Bogotá vs. coast: In the interior highlands version (Bogotá), it's always served with cream and capers. At the coast, variations exist without guasca.