Influenced by Colombian flavors, this Instant Pot Chicken Potato Soup is made with wholesome ingredients for a kid-friendly hearty meal. Serve it for an easy dinner, or make it ahead of time for quick meal prep! Stove Top Option.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
There’s just something so comforting about soup, isn’t there? Whether you’re eating Whole30 Ham and Vegetable Soup, Leftover Turkey Soup, or Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup, it’s always guaranteed to be a warm and satisfying meal, especially in the wintertime.
Inspired by my friend, Gina, from Skinnytaste, this recipe is an adaptation of her Colombian Chicken Potato Soup from her One and Done Cookbook! Given that she’s from Colombia, I knew that this recipe would be full of flavor, and (spoiler alert) it didn’t disappoint! While the original recipe is great, and you should definitely try it out, I decided to put my own twist on it for a Cotter Crunch lightened-up Colombian Chicken Soup!
Originating from the mountainous region of Bogotá, Colombian Chicken Soup was originally called Ajiaco. The original version is super spicy thanks to the use of unseeded chile peppers and is commonly served over grilled meats. Take a look at a super authentic recipe here!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Original ingredients plus a few of our own!
- Corn
- Potatoes – Yukon Gold and White flesh Sweet Potatoes (white sweet potatoes are a great middle-ground between an orange sweet potato and a Russet.)
- Chicken
- Chicken Bouillon* or chicken stock
Allergy Tip: Make sure to check the label on your chicken bouillon to make sure it is gluten free!
Tips for the Best Soup
To make sure your soup turns out perfect every time, we’re sharing a few of our foolproof tips below!
- For extra flavor, try soaking your potatoes in chicken broth before making your soup!
- To avoid having tough chicken, don’t rush the cooking process, especially if cooking on the stovetop! Slow cooking and simmering methods will prevent the vegetables from becoming too mushy and the meat from drying out.
- Use salt sparingly. It’s a crucial ingredient to bring out the flavor in your chicken potato soup. However, you don’t want to add it all at once! Instead, add a little bit at a time, and make sure to taste your soup along the way.
How to Make Chicken and Potato Soup
However you decide to prepare this chicken potato soup, it’s always super easy and guaranteed to be delicious!
Instant Pot
- Cut. Using a sharp knife, cut each ear of corn into 3 pieces, and set them aside.
- Combine. In an instant pot, combine the water, potatoes, chicken, scallions, and bouillon.
- Seal & Cook. Once the ingredients have been added, seal the instant pot, and set it to cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Sauté. After 10 minutes, set the instant pot to natural release, and press the sauté button once all of the pressure has been released. Add the corn, and let it cook uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the corn is tender.
- Serve. Once fully cooked, place an ear of corn in each bowl, and ladle roughly 1 ⅔ cups of soup on top. Then, top the bowls with avocado, crème fraiche, and capers!
Stove Top
- Heat. Heat a large pot of water over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
- Boil. Once the water is boiling, add the ingredients except for the corn, and cover them with a lid before cooking for 20-25 minutes on medium-low heat or until the potatoes are soft.
- Add Ingredients. Next, add the corn to the pot, and let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the corn is tender.
- Serve. Once cooked, add the corn and soup broth to your bowls, choose your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
How to Thicken Chicken and Potato Soup
If your soup comes out too thin, don’t panic! Instead, whip up a quick roux. For this Instant Pot Chicken Potato Soup, the grainfree slurry works best. Just add in a spoonful or two after cooking, and stir to combine. Keep adding more until the desired consistency is reached.
How to Store Leftovers
One of the best things about this soup is how well it stores! Keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or, store it in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Pro-Tip: To reheat your chicken and potato soup, warm it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Or, place it in the microwave for a few minutes until heated through.
More of Our Favorite
Homemade Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Potato Soup (Stove Top Option)
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Made with hearty vegetables and high in protein, this Instant Pot Chicken Potato Soup is a quick and comforting meal that will leave you feeling full and satisfied! Stove Top Option.
Ingredients
- Medium ears corn, husked
- 5 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (4 to 5), cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- ¾ pound white sweet potato (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (See notes for the original recipe.)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 medium scallions, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon* *Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free ( Better than Bouillon is gluten free).
For serving:
- 6 ounces diced avocado (from 1 large Hass)
- ¼ cup crème fraiche or heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy free option)
- 3 Tablespoons capers, drained, plus 6 teaspoons brine (optional)
- Cilantro and peppercorns for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut each ear of corn into 3 pieces (about 2 ½ inches long). Set them aside on a plate.
-
In an electric pressure cooker, combine 5 ½ cups water, the potatoes, chicken, scallions, and chicken bouillon. Seal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes (see notes), until the potatoes are tender. Let the Instant Pot natural release, and open it when the pressure subsides. Then, press the sauté button. Add the corn, and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the corn is tender.
-
To serve, place a piece of corn in each of 6 bowls. Then, ladle about 1 ⅔ cups of soup into each bowl. Top them with 1 ounce avocado, 2 teaspoons crème fraiche (or dairy free cream), and ½ Tablespoon of the capers. If desired, add 1 teaspoon of the caper brine to each bowl.
-
Garnish the bowls with cilantro and/or fresh pepper and a pinch of sea salt.
-
See notes for Stove top or Dutch oven Option.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from the One and Done Cookbook and posted with permission from Author (Gina from Skinnytaste). The original recipe uses russet potatoes. So, feel free to use those! I opted for sweet potato for extra nutrients.
Stove Top or Dutch Oven Option – To make this in a large pot or Dutch oven, increase the water to 6 cups. Bring the water to a boil, and cook all of the ingredients except for the corn, covered, for 20-25 minutes on medium-low heat or until the potatoes are tender. Then, add the corn, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Cooking times may vary based on the size of the potatoes and chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Natural Release: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Latin
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ⅔ cups
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 5.7 g
- Sodium: 204.4 mg
- Fat: 6.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.2 g
- Fiber: 6.4 g
- Protein: 22.5 g
- Cholesterol: 58.5 mg
I thought this was great and so easy, but I changed it up a bit! I added some spices to the chicken- paprika, cumin chili powder, oregano salt and pepper etc., to give it more of a chili flavor, then added some frozen corn at the end. Thickened it with a little arrowroot powder. Topped with cotija cheese, cilantro, avocado, and lime juice! Amazing flavor and even better on day two!
Oh my! We LOVE all of your additions, Alexandra. Mmmm, sounds delish! Happy cooking!
I tried it and the results are really great. The combination of chicken and potatoes exceeded my expectations. Lindsay, I’ve been following you and looking forward to more such quality recipes
We loved how hearty and delicious this soup tasted! The instant pot has become my go-to for making easy and delicious soups!
Right? A keeper for sure!
I can’t wait to try this Ajiaco recipe in my InstaPot.
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Best soup out there!
Oh yes, thank you!
Guascas it is an essential ingredient that gives the soup a special flavor. In English, it’s known as potato weed or gallant solider, and here in Minnesota, it grows all over the place like a weed! You can also get it on amazon for about $8.00 a bag.
Onto the “criolla” potato and Andean corn— YES— there is a difference, but sometimes you have to make due with what’s available. I’ve found the closest potato I can find here to the papa criolla is baby Yukon gold (yeah, I get it, it’s not the same). The corn here in the US is super different, more sweet and not as starchy, but it still is enjoyable in this soup!
I personally was glad to find an instant pot adaptation to base my own attempts off of and am glad to have stumbled upon this recipe.
I get the whole “orgullo colombiano” for this rolo classic though…
Thanks for the recipe!
Loved your comment! I’m colombian from Barranquilla, and I love love love ajiaco. I buy guascas at a colombian restaurant nearby but thanks for the info about guascas. I’m also glad to have found this instant pot recipe.
Waoo its looks yummyyy 🙂
Loved how easy this recipe was to shop for and throw together! I didn’t have bouillon cubes so I used two of the stock concentrate packets I had from Trader Joe’s.
What a beautiful and filling bowl!
Thank you!
My love for Colombian Chicken Potato Soup :). Thanks for the great recipe
VERY YUMMY and good recipy you share here keep sharing
Thank you so much!
Loved how easy this recipe was to shop for and throw together! I didn’t have bouillon cubes so I used two of the stock concentrate packets I had from Trader Joe’s.
Oh awesome! Great quick tip! Love TJ’s!
Hmm really great now it’s very easy for all to follow these recipes. great job keep it up.
Thank you!
Hi, I can’t get Avocado on top as it is not available in my nearby area.. can you tell some substitutes that i can use instead of avocado? rest everything i can manage get. Am planning to make it for Thursday’s Lunch as there are special guests coming in. Thanks.
You could skip it and just use sour cream and pepper with cilantro. Or even add some salsa! Thoughts?
I just loved it, I’m not only going to give it 5 stars. But, I’m going to share it with all my website’s followers on the social media. Thank you for giving me something useful to share it today!
Loved how easy this recipe was to shop for and throw together! I didn’t have bouillon cubes so I used two of the stock concentrate packets I had from Trader Joe’s. Followed the rest of the recipe as written and it turned tasting a bit flat. Should I have added more stock concentrate or maybe salt? Any tips?
Still a keeper and I look forward to making it again! Thank you!
Oh no, that’s not good. Hmmm, I would try to add more stock concentrate. bouillon does help! I tried it both ways. The stock leaves it a little bland. Agreed! I had to add more garlic and smoked sea salt when I ran out of bouillon. Hope that helps!
I made this in my Instant Pot. It turned out amazing! I added some green beans for extra vegetables and ate it with a splash of sriracha sauce ! Thanks such an amazing dish to make quickly after work!
oh yay! love the extra greens idea!
You can get the Guascas in Amazon or sometimes in a Mexican or Latin store, You serve the soup with a white rice and avocado on the side. Now you can enjoy a real Ajiaco from Colombia, Bogota.
thank you!
Added to my dinner list!
LOVED this easy soup. Wasn’t too sure going in, but turned out Great! Thank you ! Btw turned out my “white” sweet potatoes were orange after all & still tasted great -will make this again.
So pretty… but tell me I can do this with sweet potatoes. I just can’t do the white ones. Weird, I know…
haha yes bro! I actually used the white flesh sweet potato as one of the potato options. But you can totally use all sweet potato!
What a beautiful and filling bowl!
This combination of flavors was absolutely delicious!! Perfect for a chilly night!
very nice and keep shairng
VERY YUMMY and good recipy you share here keep sharing
I need to try this! I’m all over my Instant Pot right now!
This book is totally on my Christmas list!
Gina is seriously one of my blogging crushes. She is always killing it! This soup looks so good. I love the presentation with the corn. So pretty!
right? And she is so inventive! I need her brain. And I need your style. Okay I want your styling tips. 🙂 corn is hard to style. PHEW!