Colombian Sancocho de Pollo (Chicken and Root Vegetable Stew)
A hearty Colombian one-pot stew of bone-in chicken simmered with yuca, plantain, corn, and potato until deeply comforting.
Sancocho is the kind of dish that shows up at Colombian family gatherings precisely because it's built to feed a crowd from one pot. Bone-in chicken simmers slowly in broth with garlic and onion until the meat wants to fall off the bone, and then a parade of tropical roots — yuca, green plantain, potato, and fresh corn on the cob — go in to soak up all that flavor as they soften.
Because everything cooks together in one broth-based pot with no flour or gluten-containing thickeners, this is a naturally gluten-free stew that still feels indulgent. We finish it with fresh cilantro and scallion for brightness, since the roots alone can taste a little one-note without that lift. Ladle it into deep bowls with plenty of broth — it's a full meal on its own.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb yuca (cassava), peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 green plantain, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 ears corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 large potato, cubed
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 0.25 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper, to taste
Most ingredients here are everyday market staples across West Africa. A handful of specialty items may be easiest to find at a local open-air market or an African grocery store if you're elsewhere.
Instructions
- 1In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- 2Add chicken and broth; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
- 3Add yuca and potato; simmer 20 minutes more.
- 4Add plantain and corn; cook another 15-20 minutes until all vegetables and chicken are tender.
- 5Stir in cumin, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 6Finish with cilantro and scallion before serving in deep bowls with plenty of broth.