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Home » Recipes » Soup

Colombian Chicken Soup: Ajiaco

Published: Feb 9, 2023 · Updated: Feb 24, 2023 · By Lisa Goldfinger · 73 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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columbian chicken soup in a black bowl and a close up of some colombian chicken soup in a soup pot

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.

Bowl filled with thick rich chicken soup that has lots of shredded chicken, corn, potatoes and cubes of avocado on top

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.

roast chicken for soup

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.

Shredded roast chicken for Colombian Chicken 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. 

bowl of thick chicken soup filled with shredded chicken, cubes of potato, corn kernels, sliced carrots and topped with cubes of avocado

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.

Dutch oven filled with chicken soup that's loaded with shredded chicken, corn kernels and cubed potatoes

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

Colombian Chicken Soup with creamy corn-potato broth and lots of veggies

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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Recipe

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Colombian Chicken Soup: Creamy with no cream or dairy - thickened with potatoes and corn.

Colombian Chicken Soup: Ajiaco


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 20 reviews

  • Author: Lisa Goldfinger
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Creamy chicken Soup, thickened with potatoes and corn, brimming with tender chicken, potatoes and vegetables. naturally gluten-free and dairy free.

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light Global Kitchen


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 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

Garnish

  • 1 cup cubed avocado, spritzed with a little lime juice to keep it from turning brown
  • 1 ½ tablespoons capers, rinsed

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. In a blender, puree 1 cup of corn with 1 ½ cups chicken broth. Set aside.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

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!

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Chicken, Cooking Light, Dinner, Entertaining, Most Popular Recipes, Soup, South America, Stew Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Heidi

    February 24, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    I love this recipe! I've made it exactly as the directions state, and it turned out perfect! My question is, have you ever adapted it for the slow cooker? Would that work?

    Reply
  2. Richard Jones

    January 09, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    I married my wife 9 years ago. She is american but her 1st marriage her husband at that time was columbian. Now i have 5 kids and 2) of them are 1/2 columbian step children. I do all the cooking in the house . I love doing dishes that represent the tastes of my step kids culture. Your soup was a great hit with all of us and i thank you for your recipe . My wife said i all most cooked better than her x - mother in law and from what i heard thats hard to top her original columbian cooking but your soup got me one step closer! Thank you again for a wonderful meal we all n-joyed

    Reply
    • Lisa

      January 12, 2021 at 7:12 am

      You are too kind Richard 🙂 and your family is very lucky to have you cooking wonderful meals for them. I'm so happy to hear that you all enjoyed the soup. Thank you for coming back to leave a rating and a comment.

      Reply
  3. Chrissy

    May 17, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    I’ve made this recipe numerous times and my Colombian husband loves this! Nice and creamy and with the avocado on top it is just so delicious! Actually about to make a batch here in a few minutes 🙂 Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Matt

    April 19, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    This recipe is the bomb dot com. I have been making it for years and never get tired of it. My kids LOVE this and never argue over eating it, they actually ask for THIRDS.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 19, 2020 at 12:32 pm

      Wow, Matt, that's so great to hear! Gotta love a dish that makes the whole family happy - especially when there are veggies involved 🙂 Thank you for coming back to leave a comment.

      Reply
  5. Lynette

    October 12, 2019 at 1:24 am

    Thank you so much for this lovey soup recipe. I made it this week for my family and they loved it. This soup is delicious and comforting, especially on a cold night. Will be making it again and again. Thank you.

    Reply
  6. Lilly C

    September 26, 2019 at 7:21 am

    This soup is a home run and we will def be making this regularly in my household! I only used one package of thighs and it was enough.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      September 26, 2019 at 7:32 am

      Hi Lilly, I'm so happy to hear this! Thank you for your note and happy cooking!

      Reply
  7. Millie

    November 09, 2018 at 6:43 pm

    Hi Lisa, I've been coming back to your Ajiaco soup recipe for a few years now. I love it and it always tastes so good! I love to hear all the comments my family has to say after they eat it. It's so comforting and delicious any time of the year! Thank you for sharing all your great recipes. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  8. Alba

    October 15, 2018 at 9:50 am

    Hello, Lisa, I am Colombian. However, I am one of those Colombians that is good in the kitchen and I have accepted that. I clicked on the recipe because of the title; I was intrigued. Yes, this is not how my mother would make it but I think this is how I would make it. I liked the idea of corn kernels, (although I love the chunks of corn cobs in the soup) and the shredded chicken idea. I am going to incorporate those to my cooking. I also loved how you garnished the soup with the avocado. Colombian cooking for me is very elaborate, lots of chopping, stirring and long hours on the stove. I just can't. I agree with you that a chef or a cook makes the soup their own by adapting it to their taste. I only do two recipes exactly the same way every time. ONLY TWO. I kind of invent the wheel every time I cook. So, thank you for given the spotlight to a Colombian dish.

    Alba.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      October 15, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      Alba thank you for being open minded about my adaptation of your country's wonderful dish. If you feel like sharing, I would love to know what your two special recipes are that you do exactly the same way every time. Lisa

      Reply
    • Humberto

      March 31, 2019 at 8:07 pm

      Excellent recipe! I have made it with chicken and a veggie style. Both are deliscious! Love using the lime juice, avocados, and tabasco sauce to give it a kick.

      Reply
  9. Stephanie

    October 07, 2018 at 10:20 pm

    I started searching for Columbian recipes after a weekend get away to Cleveland for our 25th wedding anniversary. I was drawn to a columbian restaurant in Lakewood. The menu said everything is gluten free unless marked. My dream come true. Many of the patrons were eating the chicken soup. That is what lead me to your recipe. I wish I had tried at the restaurant but new it was a popular menu item. I made your soup tonight and it was a big hit. A great joy to not have to make two versions to accommodate my gluten intolerance. It was wonderful. I tried to find an authentic version but the highly rated are in Spanish. My house of picky eaters loved your soup which is no small task. Thanks!!!! I would love for your Columbine posters to send you an authentic recipe in English so you can post and we can all enjoy. Nice job we enjoyed.

    Reply
  10. Lulu

    May 18, 2018 at 11:07 pm

    I have to say I am proud Colombian but the Ajiaco soup is not chicken soup, the Ajiaco is basically a potato soup. It has not oregano or bay leaves not either carrots or many veggies, the base are potatoes, chicken, capers, cream and the green leaves called ‘guascas” that are so different to the bay leaves or the oregano leaves, my mother, grand mother, grate grand mother and aunts all of them used to prepare it and if you check the Colombian cooking literature , you will not fimd other thing than the “guascas” This souo looks delicious but it is not the real Ajiaco, this is a reformed version.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      May 22, 2018 at 12:49 pm

      Yes I absolutely agree. This is not authentic - it's my adaptation of Ajiaco. I tried to make that clear in my blog post. Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  11. Suzanne

    March 12, 2018 at 3:04 pm

    This is a delicious recipe and I'm making it for the second time. We love it! I ordered Guascas on Amazon. Half of this recipe makes plenty for two people & 2 meals.. I used fewer potatoes and less salt, as well as a rotisserie chicken for lack of time, So great! Thanks very much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      March 12, 2018 at 5:19 pm

      Thanks so much for your comment Suzanne. I'm so glad you're enjoying the Colombian Chicken Soup! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Gabby

    July 12, 2017 at 4:08 am

    This was AMAZING. It takes me back to my first trip to Colombia, when I first fell in love with Ajiaco. I added Adobo the soup, and I absolutely loved it. I'm definitely keeping this recipe.

    Reply
  13. Hill Snellings

    February 13, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    Lisa, Another delight. We've been enjoying it through these last few snow storms. Warming, hearty, delicious ... and I think it is helping me recover from my cold! It is chicken soup after all. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      February 14, 2017 at 11:22 am

      Hi Hill, I'm so glad to hear that you all enjoyed the Ajiaco. And I'm a big believer in Jewish penicillin for curing colds. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Antje W.

    September 05, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    Made this today and it was yummy!!!

    Reply
  15. Cynthia

    July 30, 2016 at 11:30 am

    I made this dish on Thursday. One mistake I made was adding both cups of fresh corn to the chicken stock and puréed it. In the end I just added a third cup of corn. I also used bone in thighs so I would have bones for stock later. I don't know if it is Columbian or not but the avocado in the end is a must. I enjoyed this recipe and will make it again. Love your recipes.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      July 30, 2016 at 12:18 pm

      Hi Cynthia, I love the idea of bone-in thighs. And I bet the was great with the extra corn. I'm so glad you enjoyed the soup 🙂

      Reply
  16. Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom

    May 11, 2016 at 12:50 pm

    My neighbor is Columbian--I will have to make this for her sometime. She will love it!

    Reply
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