There's no cream in this delicious creamy Colombian chicken soup. Ajiaco (the Spanish name) is thickened with potatoes and corn and has plenty of tender shredded chicken, vegetables and potatoes to make this a super satisfying meal.
Ajiaco a very hearty soup, verging on stew. In this recipe, the broth is rich and creamy but without any cream or dairy. It's made from chicken stock, pureed corn and grated potatoes. Once the soup has cooked down to a wonderfully thick consistency, more corn and potatoes are added, along with shredded chicken, carrots, cilantro, and lime juice.
The final tasty layer of this flavorful soup is a topping of cubed avocados and salty capers.
Chicken thighs are so delicious when you simply salt and pepper them, drizzle a little olive oil over them, and roast them in the oven for 20 minutes. Then they can easily be shredded and added to the soup.
An Adaptation of Traditional Ajiaco
Ajiaco is a very popular dish in Bogota, Colombia's capital city. My version is inspired by the classic Colombian dish but not quite the same. If you're looking for the traditional Ajaco, here's an authentic recipe.
The traditional recipe calls for whole chunks of corn on the cob. I opted for kernels.
Another ingredient always found in the traditional version is an herb called guasca, which is common in South America but also not so easy to find outside of SA, at least not in Newton Massachusetts. Luckily, a couple of bay leaves simmered in the broth make a good substitute.
I like to serve Colombian chicken soup with this citrusy green salad. It makes a great weeknight dinner but I also wouldn't hesitate to serve it to company.
More Flavorful Hearty Soup Recipes:
- Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
- Beef Mushroom Soup
- Minestrone Soup with Beef
- Greek Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice
- Rich Homemade Chicken Soup
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Here's the recipe for Ajiaco: Colombian Chicken Soup. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!
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Colombian Chicken Soup: Ajiaco
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Creamy chicken Soup, thickened with potatoes and corn, brimming with tender chicken, potatoes and vegetables. naturally gluten-free and dairy free.
Please note: Ajiaco is a very popular dish in Bogota, Colombia's capital city. My version, though inspired by the classic Colombian dish, is not the authentic version. It has been adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light Global Kitchen
Ingredients
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- several grinds of fresh ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
- 5 cups low salt chicken broth (such as Swanson's), divided
- 2 cups corn kernels, divided (fresh or frozen & defrosted)
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves (substitute 2 teaspoons chopped guasca, if you can find it)
- 2 medium baking potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and grated or finely diced.
- 3 medium yukon gold potatoes or other waxy potatoes (about 1 pound) peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise (about ¾ cup)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce or other hot pepper sauce
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cubed avocado, spritzed with a little lime juice to keep it from turning brown
- 1 ½ tablespoons capers, rinsed
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Spread chicken thighs out in a large baking dish that holds them in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove baking dish from oven. Cover with foil and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Shred chicken by hand or by pulling it apart with two forks.
- In a blender, puree 1 cup of corn with 1 ½ cups chicken broth. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Pour corn puree to the pot, along with the grated or finely diced baking potatoes, the remaining 3 ½ cups chicken broth, oregano, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cubed Yukon gold potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken and any accumulated juices in the baking dish, the remaining cup of corn, cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until soup is heated through. Remove bay leaves.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with avocado and capers
Notes
Nutrition Information: The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a the advice of a professional nutritionist.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Colombian
This post was first published on May 2, 2014. It was refreshed and updated on Feb 9, 2023 with clarifying information added to the written post and to the recipe. The same delicious recipe!
Folks- The poster could not have been clearer that this was not a traditional version, but rather based upon a soup they loved. If you want to beat on someone fine, but that really only reflects on you.
The taste was delicious, I would add less baking potato, less chicken and more chicken broth next time. Also, shred the chicken more. Came out more like a stew than a soup. Thank you!
Tried this recipe and its delicious. Thank you for posting.
This is not ajiaco. Ajiaco does not have carrots, lime juice, tabasco nor avocado chopped inside. The herbs used are all wrong. Points for creating something new but don't call it ajiaco because that's very misleading
Thanks for your note. I don't want to be misleading. I did say in the post that this is not authentic ajiaco however I see that's not enough. I'll go back and make some changes and be sure to make it clear from the get go that my version is not authentic - it's simply inspired by the authentic recipe.
This might be a yummy recipe, but PLEASE don’t name it Ajiaco for views and clicks of people looking for it. As a native Colombian, I find it offensive. Ajiaco doesn’t have carrots, lime, cilantro or jalapeños. People don’t read the whole intro and just jump into the recipe. My American friend asked if this was what I made the other day for her: Absolutely no.
Thank you for your note Patricia. I always attempt to be clear about the authenticity of my recipes and, as you probably saw, I have a whole section in my post explaining that this recipe is adapted and what changes I made. But I never thought about the fact that those who jump to the recipe never see that. After reading your concerns, I now added a note right at the top of the recipe card making it very clear that my version is not the authentic recipe. Many thanks for taking the time to let me know your concerns.
This is not Colombian Ajiaco. Totally different. We don’t use more than half of the ingredients here listed.
Yes, my version is inspired by the traditional Ajiaco but certainly not an authentic recipe for Ajiaco.
Delicious and very filling. I did substitute 1/2 the amount of potatoes for 1/2 a head of cauliflower. Put the cauliflower in with the corn and stock in the blender. Was great. Thanks for the recipe!
I keep making this soup and sharing it with friends. It never lasts long. To save time, I shred a roasted chicken from Sam’s Club.
This is a wonderful recipe and so delicious! A friend who moved here from Columbia said it reminds him of home/his mother’s recipe. Enough said.
Hi Mary Lou - I'm so happy you like the ajiaco and extra happy to know that your Colombian friend is a fan. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe with your friends - great recipes are meant to be shared, which is why I write this blog! What a wonderful note to receive - Thank you - You totally made my day!
Apparently guasca is available online at Amazon and also Walmart.
Thanks Nancy. I will update my recipe and include that!
My husband lived in Colombia for a few years and this soup takes him back! It’s become our Christmas Eve tradition for several years now and everyone that we introduce this soup to loves it as well!
Hi Kate - I'm so happy you and your husband love the soup! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a rating and comment. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Loved this recipe! Delicious, thank you.
Excellent soup. followed the recipe, came out great
Thanks
John