Ajiaco

Yields5 Servings

Adult help needed.

2 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

1 large yellow onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cups chicken stock

1 ½ lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

2 medium ears corn, quartered, or 1½ cups frozen corn kernels

1 can fava beans or 1 cup frozen lima beans

1 cup frozen peas

1 bunch fresh cilantro, tied with kitchen twine

For Topping

2 large avocados, thinly sliced

½ cup Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraiche

½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

2 tbsp capers, drained and chopped

The Night Before:

1

Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic dish. Top with the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.

The Day Of:

2

Adult help needed. Heat the olive oil in a heavy 4-quart lidded pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown each side, about 6 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and raise the heat to high.

3

When the mixture boils, lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and let the chicken simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the chicken to a platter, reserving the cooking liquid in the pot. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Cut or tear the chicken breasts into bite-size strips and discard the bones.

4

Place the potatoes in the pot with the cooking liquid and turn the heat to medium. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the corn, beans, peas, cilantro and green onions. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove the cilantro and green onions and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer a few minutes more until the chicken is warmed through.

5

Ladle the soup into bowls and place the toppings on the table to be passed around.

Ingredients