Colombian Chicken, Yuca and Plantain Stew (Sancocho)
Sancocho colombiano Say it: sahn-KOH-choh koh-lohm-BYAH-noh
Sancocho colombiano is the country's great one-pot feast: chicken simmered in a golden tomato-and-scallion broth with yuca, green plantain, corn on the cob and potatoes. Every region claims its own version, but the pot always lands in the middle of the table at Sunday lunch, birthdays and long weekends. The broth is savory and faintly sweet from the plantain, the roots thicken it as they cook, and a spoonful of ají sharpens every bowl.
Colombian Chicken, Yuca and Plantain Stew (Sancocho)
Sancocho colombiano
Pronounced sahn-KOH-choh koh-lohm-BYAH-noh
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the stew
To serve
Method
Pat the chicken dry and rub it all over with the salt, black pepper and cumin.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and scallions and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes and achiote and cook until the mixture darkens and thickens into a loose paste, 6 to 8 minutes.
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the chicken and turn it in the guiso until the pieces lose their raw color and smell fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the water, bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the corn and yuca and simmer for 15 minutes, until the yuca is beginning to soften at the edges.
Add the plantain and potatoes and cook until everything is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes more: the yuca should open into soft fibers and the potatoes should hold their shape but crush easily against the side of the pot.
Stir in half the cilantro, taste and adjust the salt. Take the pot off the heat and let it settle for 10 minutes so the broth clears and the flavors come together.
Ladle into deep bowls, scatter the remaining cilantro over the top, and serve with white rice, avocado slices and lime wedges on the side.
Regional variant: Sancocho trifásico (Antioquia)
Replace half the chicken with 1 lb (450 g) beef short ribs and 1 lb (450 g) pork ribs. Brown the ribs first and simmer them in the water for 40 minutes before adding the chicken, then continue as written. Add 1 lb (450 g) peeled arracacha or ñame alongside the yuca, and serve with arepa instead of rice.
Cook's notes
- Choose firm, waxy yuca and cut away the woody central core — it stays tough no matter how long it cooks.
- Once the potatoes go in, shake the pot rather than stirring hard, or the stew turns to mush.
- The broth should stay thin enough to eat with a spoon; add a splash of hot water if it reduces too much before the roots are tender.
Serve with
Steamed white rice, avocado slices, lime wedges and a spoonful of ají picante (chopped cilantro, onion, tomato and chili with lime and salt).
Make ahead and storage
It tastes even better the next day: cool quickly, refrigerate up to 3 days, and reheat gently with a little water, since the roots keep drinking up the broth.
