Today for lunch I made a simplified version of ajiaco, a thick and incredibly comforting Colombian soup.

The classic version is more complex: it uses at least three types of potatoes, local corn, and most importantly guasca (Galinsoga parviflora), a herb that’s almost impossible to find outside Colombia. But that’s no reason to skip it — even in this simplified version, the soup turns out deeply cozy and flavorful.

What You’ll Need

For the soup:

2 liters chicken broth
1 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast
1 large onion, halved
2 bay leaves
1 kg large starchy potatoes
500 g small potatoes
1 ear of corn
fresh parsley
a pinch of dried oregano
salt, to taste

For the toppings:

onion
cilantro
jalapeño
capers
avocado

How to Make It

In a pot, pour the broth over the chicken. Add the onion and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove the chicken. In the same broth, add the peeled large potatoes cut into chunks. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the small potatoes, cut into quarters — this helps create different textures in the soup.
Clean the corn, cut the ear in half, and add it to the pot with the potatoes.
After about 10 minutes of active simmering, add finely chopped parsley and a pinch of dried oregano.
While the soup cooks, shred the chicken breast into fibers.
Make a simple green salsa:
Finely chop cilantro, onion, and jalapeño. Cover with warm water, add salt, and let it infuse.
When the potatoes are almost falling apart, use a whisk to mash most of them directly in the pot.
This will make the broth starchy and thick.
Important: don’t turn it into a puree — you still want visible potato chunks.
Return part of the shredded chicken to the pot, stir, and adjust the salt if needed.