Sancocho de Gallina Criolla
A hearty and traditional Ecuadorian chicken soup, Sancocho de Gallina Criolla is a flavorful broth simmered with a whole chicken (or pieces), plantains, yuca, corn, and a medley of aromatic herbs. It's a comforting and nourishing dish, often prepared for family gatherings.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 medium Whole free-range chicken(cut into pieces, or 4 chicken legs)
- 3 medium Green plantains(peeled and cut into large chunks)
- 500 g Yuca(peeled and cut into large chunks)
- 2 medium Corn on the cob(cut into 2-3 pieces each)
- 1 large Onion(quartered)
- 4 cloves Garlic(smashed)
- 1 bunch Cilantro(stems and leaves, chopped)
- 1 tsp Oregano(dried)
- 1 tsp Cumin(ground)
- Salt(to taste)
- Black pepper(to taste)
- 3 L Water
- 2 tbsp Achiote oil (annatto oil)(for sofrito)
- 1 medium Red onion(finely chopped, for sofrito)
- 1 medium Green bell pepper(finely chopped, for sofrito)
- 2 cloves Garlic(minced, for sofrito)
- 2 medium Tomatoes(peeled, seeded, and finely chopped, for sofrito)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, combine the chicken pieces, water, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, cilantro stems, dried oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender.
- 2
Add the green plantains, yuca, and corn to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- 3
While the sancocho is simmering, prepare the sofrito. In a separate skillet, heat the achiote oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and green bell pepper, and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- 4
Add the minced garlic and chopped tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sofrito is fragrant.
- 5
Stir the sofrito into the sancocho pot. Add the chopped cilantro leaves and cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- 6
Serve the Sancocho de Gallina Criolla hot, ensuring each bowl has a good portion of chicken and vegetables. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a richer flavor, you can use a whole chicken and cut it into pieces yourself.
- ✓If you don't have achiote oil, you can use regular vegetable oil and a pinch of ground achiote (annatto).
- ✓Some variations include adding other vegetables like carrots or potatoes.
🔄 Variations
- Add other root vegetables like potatoes or carrots.
- For a spicier kick, add a finely chopped chili pepper to the sofrito.