I grew up in the Canal Zone and sancocho is a must for large family meals. Sancocho is a Latin chicken soup with cilantro and yuca (or cassava). Keep in mind, there are a variety of recipes out there this is just the one my nanny used to make us.
Prep Time::40 mins
Cook Time:: 1 hr 15 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr 55 mins
Servings::12
Yield::12 servings
Ingredients
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9 cups water
1 whole chicken
2 plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 pounds yuca (cassava) roots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 small red potatoes, quartered
1 (15.25 ounce) can corn, drained
Directions
Combine water, chicken, plantains, onion, cilantro, garlic, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until chicken is longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Remove the chicken and let cool. Add yuca, potatoes, and corn to the soup; cook over medium heat until yuca and potatoes are softened, about 30 minutes.
Discard chicken skin and bones. Place meat back into the soup; stir to combine.
Cook’s Note
For families like mine who don't eat leftovers, just turn them into Latin Chicken Pot Pie.1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).2. Drain sancocho broth and freeze for other chicken recipes (rice, soups, etc).3. Mix together leftover chicken-yuca-potato mixture and 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup in a large bowl until well combined. Scoop mixture into a 9-inch unbaked pie crust. Seal with another unbaked pie crust and cut 4 small slits at the top.4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
Leftover chicken skin, fat, and bones make amazing frozen chicken stock. Simmer 6 cups water, leftover chicken, 3 stalks celery, 2 carrots, 1 onion (halved), bouillon cube, and 1 bay leaf in a large stockpot over medium heat for 3 hours. Strain, freeze, and use for other recipes.