Chicken Stew (Panamanian Sancocho)

Panama's national dish is Sancocho, a chicken stew with yucca, potatoes, plantains and corn.

1 roasting chicken, cut into pieces or 3-4 whole chicken breasts
3 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 lbs yucca root, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces (also called cassava)
4 cups chicken stock
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Rinse the chicken and pat dry.

In a small bowl, mix the salt, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and olive oil. Rub the mix all over the chicken and let it marinate for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, peel and chop the yucca and the onion. Set aside.

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

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.

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).

Serve with white rice on the side that is added into the soup when you are about to eat it.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Cook’s Notes: This soup keeps well frozen and only gets more flavourful with time.