Today we’re heading to sunny Colombia, where every dish is an explosion of flavor, generosity of spirit, and family traditions passed down from generation to generation.
Juicy braised chicken in a thick tomato-and-onion sauce with potatoes and vegetables, steeped in the aromas of cumin and cilantro. Served right in a deep bowl with white rice, it’s a true Colombian home-cooked lunch—warming and incredibly fragrant.
Ingredients:
• Bone-in chicken thighs — 8 pieces (about 1.2 kg)
• Yellow potatoes — 4 medium potatoes
• Ripe tomatoes — 4
• White onions — 2 large
• Green onions (stalks) — 4
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Fresh cilantro — 1 large bunch
• Ground cumin — 1 teaspoon
• Chicken broth — 250 ml
• Vegetable oil — 2 tablespoons
• Salt — to taste
• Ground black pepper — to taste
• White rice — for serving
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the chicken.
Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. Rub each piece with a mixture of salt, black pepper, and cumin, spreading the spices evenly over the entire surface. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature. The meat should darken slightly from the spices and become fragrant.
Step 2. Browning the chicken.
In a heavy, thick-bottomed pot (cast iron is ideal), heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until it begins to shimmer lightly. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and brown for 3–4 minutes on each side. The skin should turn golden-brown with a lightly crisp crust. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.
Step 3. Preparing the vegetable base.
Slice the onions into half-rings 3–4 mm thick. Cut the tomatoes into large cubes, roughly 2×2 cm, keeping all the juices. Cut the green onions diagonally into 5 cm pieces. Finely chop the garlic with a knife until it becomes a paste. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks—each potato into 4 pieces.
Step 4. Assembling the dish and building the sauce.
In the same pot where the chicken was browned, layer the ingredients: first the onions, then the tomatoes, garlic, and green onions. Arrange the potato pieces on top, then place the chicken thighs at the very top. Pour in the chicken broth. The liquid should not completely cover the contents—the dish braises in its own juices and steam.
Step 5. Braising.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a boil over medium heat. As soon as it starts bubbling actively (you’ll hear the characteristic burble), reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Braise for 35–40 minutes without lifting the lid. The potatoes should be completely tender and pierce easily with a fork, while the chicken should pull freely from the bone.
Step 6. Final seasoning.
Remove the lid. The sauce should be thick, rich orange in color, with softened pieces of tomato throughout. If the sauce is too thin, raise the heat and simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust. Roughly chop the cilantro and add half of it directly to the pot, stirring gently.
Step 7. Serving.
Cook the white rice until fluffy. Place a mound of rice in a deep bowl, arrange the chicken thighs and potatoes beside it, and generously spoon over the tomato sauce from the pot. Garnish with the remaining fresh cilantro. The dish should be piping hot, with thick, fragrant steam rising from it.
💡 Fact: The name sudado literally translates as “sweated”—the dish cooks in its own steam beneath a tight lid. It is one of Colombia’s most popular home lunches, made by every family at least once a week. In the Cauca Valley, a little beer is added to the sudado instead of broth for an especially deep flavor.
Crisp golden hand pies made from corn dough, filled with seasoned potatoes and ground beef. On the outside—a thin, crunchy crust. Inside—a tender, spicy, juicy filling. Served with hot ají sauce and lime, they are Colombia’s ultimate street food.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
• Pre-cooked cornmeal (such as P.A.N. or similar) — 400 g
• Warm water — 500 ml
• Salt — 1 teaspoon
• Ground turmeric — 1/2 teaspoon (for color)
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying — 1 liter
For the filling:
• Ground beef — 300 g
• Potatoes — 3 medium
• Onion — 1 medium
• Garlic — 3 cloves
• Ground cumin — 1 teaspoon
• Paprika — 1/2 teaspoon
• Green onions — 3 stalks
• Cilantro — 1 small bunch
• Salt and pepper — to taste
• Vegetable oil — 1 tablespoon
For the ají sauce:
• Cilantro — 1 bunch
• Green onions — 3 stalks
• Lime juice — 2 tablespoons
• Water — 3 tablespoons
• Salt — a pinch
Preparation:
Step 1. Cooking the potatoes for the filling.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2×2 cm cubes. Cover with cold salted water and cook over medium heat for 15–18 minutes. The potatoes should mash easily with a fork, without any resistance. Drain and mash with a potato masher until puréed—small lumps are fine; they add texture. Set aside.
Step 2. Frying the meat portion of the filling.
Dice the onion into small 3–4 mm cubes. Finely chop the garlic with a knife. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the ground beef, breaking up the lumps with a spatula. Add the cumin and paprika. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the beef has completely lost its pink color and turned crumbly.
Step 3. Combining the filling.
Mix the mashed potatoes and fried ground beef in one bowl. Add the finely sliced green onions and chopped cilantro. Mix thoroughly, then taste for salt and pepper. The filling should be firm, hold together well, and not be runny. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes—cold filling makes shaping much easier.
Step 4. Mixing the dough.
Pour the cornmeal into a large bowl, then add the salt and turmeric. Gradually pour in the warm water, kneading with your hands. The dough should be soft and pliable, neither sticky nor crumbly. If it crumbles, add water one tablespoon at a time. If it sticks, add a little more flour. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 5. Shaping the empanadas.
Pinch off a piece of dough the size of a golf ball (about 50 g). Place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out with a rolling pin into a circle 12–13 cm in diameter and 3 mm thick. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on one half of the circle. Lift the plastic wrap and fold the dough in half, forming a crescent. Firmly press the edges together with your fingers, then crimp them into a decorative braid or simply press them with a fork. The seam must be completely sealed—otherwise the empanada will split open while frying.
Step 6. Deep-frying.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or deep fryer to 175–180°C. Check the temperature by dropping in a small piece of dough—it should immediately rise to the surface and bubble actively. Carefully lower the empanadas into the oil, 3–4 at a time, without overcrowding. Fry for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until evenly golden-orange on all sides. The crust should be crisp and make a dull sound when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels.
Step 7. Making the sauce and serving.
For the ají sauce, place the cilantro, green onions, lime juice, water, and a pinch of salt in a blender. Blend until smooth but still lightly textured—the sauce should be bright green and thin enough for dipping. Arrange the hot empanadas on a platter, set out a small bowl of sauce alongside them, and add lime wedges. Serve immediately, while the crust is at its crispest.
💡 Fact: Colombian empanadas differ fundamentally from Argentine or Chilean ones: their dough is made with cornmeal rather than wheat flour, and they are always deep-fried, never baked. In Colombia, they are sold literally on every corner—from street stalls to restaurants. The capital of empanadas is the city of Cali, where a festival dedicated to this dish is held every year.