Sancocho Panameño (Panamanian Chicken Soup)

Method

1. Build the broth by combining chicken, water, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook 30 minutes.

   Salt early and throughout the cooking process. Salt added at the beginning penetrates the food; salt added at the end sits on the surface. Both are important, but the foundation matters most.

   Salt early and throughout the cooking process. Salt added at the beginning penetrates the food; salt added at the end sits on the surface. Both are important, but the foundation matters most.

   Salt early and throughout the cooking process. Salt added at the beginning penetrates the food; salt added at the end sits on the surface. Both are important, but the foundation matters most.

2. Add the root vegetables — ñame/yuca and corn. Simmer 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly from the starch.

   A simmer means small bubbles gently breaking the surface — not a rolling boil. Aggressive boiling toughens proteins and causes sauces to reduce too quickly, concentrating flavors unevenly.

   A simmer means small bubbles gently breaking the surface — not a rolling boil. Aggressive boiling toughens proteins and causes sauces to reduce too quickly, concentrating flavors unevenly.

   A simmer means small bubbles gently breaking the surface — not a rolling boil. Aggressive boiling toughens proteins and causes sauces to reduce too quickly, concentrating flavors unevenly.

3. Add culantro in the last 5 minutes. The herb should wilt into the broth, perfuming it.

4. Serve in deep bowls with white rice on the side. In Panama, sancocho is the cure for everything — hangovers, colds, heartbreak, and Sunday laziness.

   Serve immediately while the textures and temperatures are at their peak. Most dishes begin declining the moment they leave the heat — crispy things soften, sauces thicken, and aromatics fade.

   Serve immediately while the textures and temperatures are at their peak. Most dishes begin declining the moment they leave the heat — crispy things soften, sauces thicken, and aromatics fade.

   Serve immediately while the textures and temperatures are at their peak. Most dishes begin declining the moment they leave the heat — crispy things soften, sauces thicken, and aromatics fade.

Equipment

• Stockpot Recommended: Tramontina 12-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot
• Ladle Recommended: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ladle

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Culantro (not cilantro) is the herb that defines Panamanian sancocho. It has a stronger, more pungent flavor. Find it at Latin or Caribbean grocery stores. Cilantro works as a substitute but the flavor is milder.
• Use bone-in chicken — the bones create a rich, gelatinous broth that's the soul of sancocho.
• Ñame (a starchy root vegetable) thickens the broth naturally as it cooks. Yuca is the most common substitute.
• Simmer gently — don't boil. A gentle simmer keeps the broth clear.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Culantro	Cilantro (use double the amount)	Milder — add at the end
Ñame	Yuca or potato	Yuca is closest; potato dissolves more
Bone-in chicken	Rotisserie chicken (add at end)	Less rich broth — use store-bought broth

What You're Practicing

Sancocho teaches you the Latin American approach to soup-making — building a clear broth from bone-in protein and thickening it naturally with starchy root vegetables. The same technique drives Colombian sancocho, Dominican sancocho, and Puerto Rican asopao. Visit Stocks for more.