Ajiaco Recipe: Creamy Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup 2026

Ajiaco is a creamy Colombian soup built on three kinds of potato, corn and chicken. Each potato brings its own texture and flavor, so the broth turns rich and velvety as it simmers.

It is an easy soup to prepare, though it asks for patience: it comes out best when cooked slowly over low heat. That gentle cooking lets the potatoes soften and thicken the broth naturally.

Traditional ajiaco relies on Colombian potato varieties and guascas, an aromatic herb. Outside Colombia those are hard to find, so this version uses red, monalisa and kennebec potatoes, with bay leaf, cilantro and parsley standing in for the guascas.

Ingredients for Ajiaco

These amounts make a generous pot for 4 people.

• 1 onion
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 liters chicken stock
• 2 red potatoes
• 2 monalisa potatoes
• 2 kennebec potatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 ear of cooked corn
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 avocado
• 1 tablespoon cooking cream
• Ground chili or cayenne pepper (optional)

How to Make Ajiaco Step by Step

1. Simmer the chicken with the onion

Put 1 onion cut in half, 1 chicken breast and 2 liters of chicken stock into a pot. Simmer the breast for 30 minutes over medium heat, then remove the onion and the chicken from the broth. Discard the onion and set the chicken aside to shred once cool.

2. Add the potatoes and aromatics

Peel and slice 2 red potatoes, 2 monalisa potatoes and 2 kennebec potatoes. Add the slices to the broth along with 2 peeled garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1 bunch cilantro and 1 bunch parsley. Cook the potatoes for 1 hour over low heat.

3. Shred the chicken and cut the corn

Shred the reserved chicken breast with two forks. Cut the cooked ear of corn into 4 or 5 pieces so each serving gets a chunk.

4. Mash potatoes to thicken

To make the broth thicker, mash 5 or 6 slices of cooked potato with a fork and stir them back into the pot. This gives the soup its characteristic creamy body.

5. Plate with corn, chicken and toppings

Serve each portion of soup with a piece of cooked corn. Divide the shredded chicken, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 chopped avocado and 1 tablespoon cooking cream among the 4 bowls.

6. Serve hot

Serve the ajiaco hot. If you like a spicy kick, a little ground chili or cayenne added at the end works beautifully.

Tips for the Best Ajiaco

Use three kinds of potato

Each variety adds a different texture and flavor to the soup, which is why the trio matters. Red, monalisa and kennebec potatoes are the closest easy stand-ins for the Colombian originals.

Swap the guascas wisely

Guascas bring a unique bitter, slightly sour note. Bay leaf plus cilantro and parsley recreates that aromatic layer when guascas are not available.

Choose raw or cooked corn

Raw corn should go into the pot together with the potatoes. Cooked corn only needs a few minutes at the end, just long enough to heat through.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

Come lunch or a slow dinner at home, I'm quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When hunger runs bigger, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also work nicely as a light starter or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm just as happy sharing dishes with roots in other countries, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and Spain's own Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I use all the time, since it cuts down on effort while still giving you excellent results. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a baked pasta classic can still be creamy, cheesy, and completely satisfying without any gluten.

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