Colombia—a country where culinary traditions intertwine with history and geography. Today, we’re cooking two iconic dishes that bring families together at one table and are passed down from generation to generation.
🍲 Sancocho de Gallina
A hearty chicken soup with vegetables and corn—this is the true symbol of Colombian hospitality. Thick, aromatic broth with tender meat and starchy vegetables warms both soul and body.
Ingredients:
• Chicken (whole, cut into pieces) — 1.2 kg
• Potatoes — 500 g
• Yucca (cassava) — 400 g
• Corn on the cob — 2 ears
• Green plantain — 1
• Yellow onion — 1 large
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Fresh cilantro — large bunch
• Green onions — 3 stalks
• Ground cumin — 1 tsp
• Turmeric — ½ tsp
• Salt — to taste
• Black pepper — to taste
• Water — 3 liters
• Avocado for serving — 1
• Capers — 2 tbsp
• Sour cream — for serving
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the chicken and broth
Rinse the chicken, divide into 8 pieces. Pour cold water into a large pot (at least 5 liters), add the chicken. Toss in the whole peeled onion, 2 garlic cloves (crushed with the flat side of a knife), half the bunch of cilantro (stems and roots), cumin, turmeric, and salt (1.5 tsp). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low. Skim off the foam with a slotted spoon—the broth should become clear. Simmer covered for 40 minutes. Doneness: meat separates easily from the bone when pressed with a fork.
Step 2. Preparing the vegetables
While the chicken cooks, peel the potatoes and cut into large cubes (about 4×4 cm). Peel the yucca, remove the tough core, and cut into 5 cm pieces. Cut each ear of corn into 4 parts. Peel the green plantain, slice into 3 cm rounds. Finely chop the green onions and remaining garlic. Roughly chop half the remaining cilantro.
Step 3. Adding the vegetables
After 40 minutes, remove the chicken from the broth and strain the broth through a sieve. Return the broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the yucca and plantain—they take the longest to cook. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat. Doneness: yucca is tender when pierced with a knife but still holds its shape.
Step 4. Final assembly of the soup
Add the potatoes and corn. Cook for 10 minutes. Then return the chicken to the pot, add the chopped garlic, green onions, and cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Simmer covered for another 10 minutes on low heat. Doneness: potatoes are soft, the broth has taken on a rich yellow hue and thickened from the starch of the vegetables.
Step 5. Resting and serving
Turn off the heat, let the soup rest covered for 10 minutes—the flavors will meld. Slice the avocado thinly. Ladle the sancocho into deep bowls, placing a piece of chicken, corn, and all the vegetables in each. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with separate bowls of avocado, capers, sour cream, and rice—everyone adds to taste. Serve immediately while the soup is hot and aromatic.
💡 Fact: Sancocho isn’t just soup—it’s a social event. In Colombia, it’s made for large family gatherings and cooked in huge cauldrons over an open fire. There’s a belief: the more people help prepare the sancocho, the tastier it turns out.
🍛 Arroz con Pollo
Golden rice with juicy chicken pieces, vegetables, and spices—Colombia’s version of a classic dish loved across Latin America. Bright, aromatic, with a light crispy crust on the bottom.
Ingredients:
• Boneless chicken thighs — 800 g
• Long-grain rice — 400 g
• Red bell pepper — 1
• Green bell pepper — 1
• Carrot — 1 large
• Yellow onion — 1 medium
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Tomatoes — 3 medium
• Frozen green peas — 150 g
• Chicken broth — 800 ml
• Light beer — 200 ml
• Fresh cilantro — 1 bunch
• Ground cumin — 1 tsp
• Sweet paprika — 1 tsp
• Turmeric — ½ tsp
• Saffron or safflower (for color) — pinch
• Olive oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt — 1.5 tsp
• Black pepper — ½ tsp
• Bay leaves — 2
• Capers — 2 tbsp
Preparation:
Step 1. Marinating and preparing the chicken
Rinse the chicken thighs, pat dry with paper towels. Cut each thigh into 3-4 medium pieces (about 4×4 cm). In a bowl, mix the chicken with half the minced garlic, half the cumin, paprika, salt (1 tsp), and pepper. Mix by hand so the spices evenly coat the meat. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. While the chicken marinates, prepare the vegetables.
Step 2. Preparing the sofrito
Dice the onion (0.5 cm cubes). Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, peel, and dice finely. Seed the bell peppers and cut into 1×1 cm cubes. Grate the carrot on a coarse grater. Finely chop the garlic. Roughly chop half the bunch of cilantro (separate stems and leaves), leave the other half for garnish.
Step 3. Searing the chicken
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or pot with a thick bottom (at least 28 cm in diameter) over high heat. Arrange the chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear for 3-4 minutes per side without stirring. Doneness: a golden crust forms on the surface, the meat turns white 2/3 of the way through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the oil and juices in the skillet.
Step 4. Cooking the sofrito
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cilantro stems, remaining cumin—cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrot. Simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Doneness: vegetables soften, the mixture thickens and darkens, oil begins to separate at the edges.
Step 5. Adding the rice and liquid
Add the turmeric and saffron, stir. Add the rice, mixing so each grain is coated with oil and spices—sauté for 2 minutes. Return the chicken with all its juices. Pour in the beer (it adds a slight bitterness and aroma), let it evaporate for 1 minute. Add the hot broth, bay leaves, and remaining salt (0.5 tsp). Stir once, level the surface. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 6. Simmering covered
Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to low. Cover tightly (if the lid isn’t snug, cover with foil first, then the lid). Cook for exactly 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Five minutes before done, quickly open the lid, scatter the green peas and capers on top, then cover again. Doneness: all the broth is absorbed, the rice is tender, and a light crispy crust (socarrat) forms on the bottom.
Step 7. Resting and serving
Turn off the heat, let the dish rest covered for 5 minutes—the rice will reach perfect doneness with steam. Remove the lid, discard the bay leaves. Gently fluff the rice with a fork, trying not to disturb the crust on the bottom. Generously sprinkle with chopped cilantro (leaves). Serve directly in the skillet or transfer to a platter, keeping the crispy bits from the bottom intact. Serve with avocado slices and lime wedges.
💡 Fact: Every region in Colombia has its own Arroz con Pollo recipe. On the coast, they add coconut milk; in the highlands, more vegetables and spices. Colombians take pride in the crispy rice crust at the bottom—called concolón or cucayo—and it’s considered the tastiest part of the dish, often sparking friendly arguments at the table.