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Meat, Americas

Chicken sancocho

Chicken sancocho is a Colombian soup that serves 4, ready in 1 hour 30 minutes, rated easy, for about €3.30 per person. Chicken simmers with cassava, plantain, and corn until everything turns tender. The key is adding the vegetables in order of firmness so they all finish cooking at the same time.

A sancocho is the soup you share in Colombia on Sundays, with chicken, cassava, plantain, corn, and cilantro.

Chicken sancocho
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Chicken sancocho is a thick, fragrant broth where the chicken falls right off the bone. Cassava turns soft and starchy, plantain adds a firmer, slightly sweet bite, and corn stays a touch crisp. Fresh cilantro and lime wake everything up right before serving, and sliced avocado melts gently into the hot broth.

This is a Sunday kind of dish, the sort you bring to the table in one big pot and let everyone finish their own way, with rice, avocado, and cilantro added to taste. Kids tend to go straight for the corn and plantain pieces, and leftovers are often even better the next day once the broth has had time to deepen.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Frozen foods

  • Frozen cassava 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green plantains 2
  • Corn on the cob 2
  • Potatoes 400 g
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Avocado 1
  • Limes 2

Pantry

  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Put the chicken in a large pot with the chopped onion, garlic, half the cilantro, the cumin, and 2 liters of salted water. Bring to a simmer and skim. 10 min

    A clear skim means a clear broth.

  2. Let it simmer covered. 30 min

    The chicken should be almost tender before you add the vegetables.

  3. Add the cassava cut into pieces and the potatoes, and cook longer. 20 min

    Drop the cassava into boiling water, it turns out more tender that way.

  4. Add the plantains in large chunks and the corn cut into rounds, and cook longer. 20 min

    Swap the plantain for extra potatoes if you can't find any.

  5. Cook the rice separately in salted water. 11 min

    Serve it on the side so the broth stays clear.

  6. Serve the soup with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, lime, and the rice on the side.

    Put the avocado right in the bowl, it melts into the hot broth.

Our tips to get it right

  • Skim the broth well during the first few minutes of cooking, that's what keeps it clear instead of cloudy.
  • Cut the cassava and plantain into evenly sized pieces so they finish cooking together and hold their shape in the bowl.
  • Taste the broth before serving and adjust the salt, the chicken and vegetables soak up a lot of it during cooking.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for drumsticks or a whole chicken cut into pieces, the cooking time stays about the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with cooked chickpeas and use vegetable broth instead of water.
  • For a quicker version, skip the whole corn cob step and stir in frozen corn kernels near the end of cooking instead.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice
  • Extra lime wedges
  • Sliced avocado on the side

Storage

Sancocho keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, with the broth and rice stored separately. It freezes well for up to 2 months, though rice and avocado are best prepared fresh when serving. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if the broth has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I use fresh cassava instead of frozen?

Yes, peel fresh cassava and cut it into chunks before adding it to the boiling broth. Cooking time is about the same, just check for tenderness with a knife tip.

What if I can't find green plantains?

Replace them with extra potatoes, as suggested in the recipe's tip. The soup will be a bit less sweet but just as tender.

Can I make chicken sancocho ahead of time?

Yes, cook the broth with chicken and vegetables a day ahead, it only gets more flavorful. Cook the rice and slice the avocado just before serving so they stay fresh.

Do kids actually like sancocho?

Yes, the pieces of chicken, corn, and plantain are easy to eat with a spoon or by hand. Many kids also enjoy stirring their rice right into the broth.

How long does it take to make a chicken sancocho?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken sancocho?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken sancocho cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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