Colombian Chicken Hot Pot Ajiaco Recipes

AJIACO COLOMBIANO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN AND POTATO SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large pot, place the chicken, corn, chicken bouillon, cilantro, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked and tender. Remove the chicken and set aside.
• Continue cooking the corn for about 15 more minutes. Discard green onion and add red potatoes, white potatoes, and the guascas. Cook for 15 more minutes.
• Uncover and add the frozen papa criolla and simmer for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
• Cut the chicken meat into small pieces and return to the pot. Serve the Ajiaco hot with capers and heavy cream on the side.

AJIACO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN, POTATO AND CORN SOUP)

Steps:

• In a 5-quart pot, combine the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 8 cups water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and skim any foam or impurities from the top. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cilantro stems and scallion whites. Simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender and releases easily when pierced with a knife, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the aji sauce: In a food processor, combine the scallion greens, hot sauce, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup of the cilantro leaves and pulse to a coarse sauce. Set aside. (Alternatively, the ingredients can be chopped by hand and stirred to combine.)
• Add the potatoes to the soup along with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Cover, bring back to a simmer and simmer another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred with your hands or 2 forks (discard the bones and skin). Set aside.
• Add the corn to the soup and cook until the corn and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken meat back to the soup and return the soup to a simmer. Add salt if needed.
• Divide the soup among 6 bowls and serve with sliced avocado, sour cream, capers, aji sauce and remaining cilantro leaves.

AJIACO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN SOUP)

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large (at least 8-quart) stockpot and add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, frequently skimming off the foam that floats to the surface.
• Add all the vegetables, the garlic, the cilantro, and the bouillon cubes to the pot, along with the salt and pepper. Stir a few times to distribute the vegetables and submerge as many of the solids as possible. When the broth returns to a gentle boil, partially cover the pot and simmer, stirring once or twice, for 1-1/2 hours. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pick out the chicken pieces and put them on a large plate. Stir the soup with a large spoon, breaking up some of the potatoes to thicken the soup slightly. Keep hot if serving soon or let cool and refrigerate.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and shred it by hand. Discard the bones and tendons, and put the shredded chicken in a serving bowl.
• In a food processor, pulse all the aji ingredients until they're finely minced. Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Put the avocados, sour cream or creme fraiche, capers and cilantro leaves in small bowls and set them on the table along with the bowls of shredded chicken and the aji. Reheat the soup if necessay and ladle it into large soup bowls, putting a quater ear of corn in each bowl. Let your guests add the garnishes and the aji as they like.

COLOMBIAN CHICKEN HOT POT (AJIACO)

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large stockpot and cover with water; add green onions, bay leaves, cilantro (see NOTE) and peppercorns.
• Bring to a boil, skimming the surface if necessary; once boiling, reduce heat and cook until chicken is tender, about an hour.
• Remove from heat and allow the chicken to cool in its cooking liquid.
• Remove the chicken and cut into eight pieces: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, cut each breast into 2 pieces, for a total of 4; discard the rest of the carcass.
• Skim off any fat from the stock, then strain it into a clean Dutch oven or large pot.
• Bring to a boil and add russet potatoes (or yuca) and the Yukon gold potatoes; cook about 15 minutes.
• Stir in the new potatoes and corn and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pot, season with salt, if needed, and heat through.
• Meanwhile, just before serving, rough chop the egg, then mash in a small bowl; in another small bowl, scoop out the avocado flesh and mash that.
• Add the egg to the avocado, stir in the green onion, cilantro, green chili, and season with salt.
• Serve the chicken mixture in a heated casserole or earthenware dish, with the avocado salsa, capers, and sour cream on the side.
• NOTE: I, personally, find the taste of the cilantro too strong when it is added to make the stock, so I add it (like a bouquet garni) when the new potatoes are added (the last 20 minutes of cooking), then remove for serving.

AJIACO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN STEW)

Steps:

• Place all ingredients, except cream and cilantro, in a large stockpot or dutch oven, and cover with 10 cups of water; cook about 30 minutes until chicken is tender but not falling off the bone, adding additional water as needed to maintain a soup consistency.
• Stir in cilantro and cream.