Top 6 South American Chicken Soups

Served after most parties and also an ideal Sunday meal, sancocho is a Colombian chicken stew that can also be made with beef or pork. Originally from the El Valle region, it used to be made exclusively with hens. It is a hearty stew with the addition of potatoes, corn, and plantains. Traditionally, white rice, spicy aji sauce, and avocado slices are served on the side. The thick broth is very satiating and could easily feed a whole family, and what's best is that it can be cooked in just one pot. Some like to top the dish with fresh coriander, onions, and a squeeze of lime juice in order to enhance the flavors even further. Found throughout Latin America, its name stems from the Spanish word sancochar, which translates to parboil. Although the ingredients are basic, they all merge together to develop delicious flavors and aromas, and the best part just may be the corn – which has been soaking up all the flavors in its kernels.Expand

Aguadito de pollo is a traditional soup prepared with a combination of large chicken pieces, aji amarillo peppers, peas, corn, onions, yellow potatoes, rice, and cilantro, which gives the soup its typical flavor and green color. In the country, this soup is well-known as being a great hangover cure, but it is also often prepared as a flu remedy. Due to the fact that the soup is so popular in Peru, there are many variations, prepared with turkey, duck, mussels, fish, or scallops instead of chicken. Once done, aguadito de pollo is usually served in big bowls with lime wedges on the side.Expand

Ajiaco is the national dish of Colombia, a flavorful chicken and potato soup with the addition of herbs and corn. Considered a poor man's dish in the past, ajiaco must include three varieties of potatoes cooked together, abundant and inexpensive in Colombia. It is best to use the local varieties of potatoes: the waxy sabanera, the tiny papas criollas and the soft pastusa. These varieties provide a thick and creamy texture of the final dish. Simmered in chicken or beef broth until they break down, the potatoes also provide a unique combination of flavors. The soup is seasoned with a Colombian herb called guascas that provides an intense, grassy flavor that is of key importance for an authentic ajiaco. There is also a vegetarian version where the shredded chicken meat is omitted, and when ajiaco is done, it is often served with avocado slices, capers, rice, heavy cream, corn, and black pepper. Traditionally, the soup is served in a rounded bowl with a rounded bottom that is placed in a basket in order to ensure stability. Some versions of ajiaco have corn on the cob dipped into the soup as a garnish. Cooked until thick and fragrant, it's best to try this creamy soup in Bogota, where it's especially popular.Expand

Inchicapi is a creamy Peruvian soup made with chicken or hen meat, cornmeal, peanuts, oil, cassava, and garlic as key ingredients. It originates from the Peruvian jungle regions of San Martin, Loreto, and Ucayali. Before serving, this traditional soup is usually garnished with chopped coriander.Expand

Locro de gallina is a traditional Andean chicken soup, particularly popular in Bolivia and in some parts of Peru. The primary ingredient is chicken, usually the whole chicken cut into pieces. Other key ingredients typically include potatoes (which provide the stew its thick consistency) and corn or maize. The flavor base of the stew is typically made from sautéed onions, garlic, and aji peppers. Cumin, oregano, and cilantro (coriander) are commonly used to season the stew, giving it a unique and aromatic flavor profile. Some versions of Locro de Gallina are made creamier with the addition of milk, cream, or even cheese. This gives the stew a rich and velvety texture. Locro de gallina is typically served hot, often garnished with fresh cilantro or parsley., and accompanied with rice or avocado slices.Expand

Huallpa chupe is a traditional chicken soup originating from Peru, and it’s especially popular in Huancayo. The soup is usually made with a combination of chicken breasts, olive oil, onions, aji amarillo hot peppers, garlic, cumin, chicken stock, potatoes, bell peppers, rice, peas, broad beans, corn, parsley, salt, and pepper. The onions and hot peppers are sautéed in olive oil, and are then mixed with the garlic, yellow chile paste, and cumin. The chicken is added to the pot and browned before the stock is poured over the ingredients. The potatoes, bell peppers, rice, and seasonings are added to the soup and it’s simmered until the meat and rice are fully cooked. Peas, broad beans, and corn are added near the end of cooking, and the soup is then garnished with parsley and served in deep bowls.Expand