Colombian Chicken Hot Pot (ajiaco)

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 1/2 lbs whole chickens
• 3 green onions (scallions)
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh cilantro (coriander, see note)
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• water, to cover
• 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (yuca) or 1 1/2 lbs cassava, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice (yuca)
• 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 1/2 lbs baby new potatoes or 1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes
• 2 corn cobs, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
• salt
• 1 egg, hard boiled
• 1 large ripe avocado
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 fresh green chilies or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• salt
• capers
• sour cream

Recipe

• 1 place chicken in a large stockpot and cover with water; add green onions, bay leaves, cilantro (see note) and peppercorns.
• 2 bring to a boil, skimming the surface if necessary; once boiling, reduce heat and cook until chicken is tender, about an hour.
• 3 remove from heat and allow the chicken to cool in its cooking liquid.
• 4 remove the chicken and cut into eight pieces: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, cut each breast into 2 pieces, for a total of 4; discard the rest of the carcass.
• 5 skim off any fat from the stock, then strain it into a clean dutch oven or large pot.
• 6 bring to a boil and add russet potatoes (or yuca) and the yukon gold potatoes; cook about 15 minutes.
• 7 stir in the new potatoes and corn and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
• 8 return the chicken to the pot, season with salt, if needed, and heat through.
• 9 meanwhile, just before serving, rough chop the egg, then mash in a small bowl; in another small bowl, scoop out the avocado flesh and mash that.
• 10 add the egg to the avocado, stir in the green onion, cilantro, green chili, and season with salt.
• 11 serve the chicken mixture in a heated casserole or earthenware dish, with the avocado salsa, capers, and sour cream on the side.
• 12 note: i, personally, find the taste of the cilantro too strong when it is added to make the stock, so i add it (like a bouquet garni) when the new potatoes are added (the last 20 minutes of cooking), then remove for serving.