Sancocho

Sancocho is a traditional Panamanian chicken soup, usually served with rice. Panamanians say it helps you cool off on hot days, despite the fact that it is a hot soup. It is also said that this soup is great for preventing a hangover. There are many different variations of Sancocho, this recipe will give you an idea of the key ingredients… you might want to get creative and add your own touch to it!

1 Roasting chicken cut into pieces OR 3-4 chicken breasts

3 teaspoons of salt

1 tablespoon cilantro

1 minced teaspoon of oregano

3 garlic cloves

2 table spoons of olive oil

1 large onion

3lbs yucca root

4 cups chicken stock

Directions:

1 - Rinse the chicken.

2 - Mix salt, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and olive oil as a marinade. Rub the mix on to the chicken and let it sit for 10 minutes.

3 - Peel and chop the yucca and the onion. Set aside.

4 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pot, put a lid on it, and let it sweat for about 7 minutes.

5 - Add the onion and the chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil and then let it simmer over medium low heat until the chicken is cooked through and soft.

6 - Raise the heat to medium and add the yucca. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer and cook until the yucca is cooked through (approximately 10 minutes).

7 - Serve with white rice on the side. Typically rice is added to the soup at the table.

Enjoy!