Sancocho

Instructions

1. 1 Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Place in a large pot with the quartered onion, garlic, and eight cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming the foam that rises to the surface for the first five minutes.
2. 2 Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the chicken for thirty minutes until partially cooked. Add the yuca chunks first since they take the longest to cook, and continue simmering for another fifteen minutes until the yuca begins to soften.
3. 3 Add the potato quarters and corn pieces to the pot. Continue simmering for another fifteen minutes. The vegetables should be added in stages according to their cooking time so that everything finishes cooking at the same moment without any piece becoming mushy.
4. 4 Add the plantain pieces during the last ten minutes of cooking. The ripe plantains add a gentle sweetness to the broth that balances the savoury chicken and starchy root vegetables. Stir in the chopped cilantro during the last five minutes.
5. 5 Check that all the vegetables are tender and the chicken is falling off the bone. The broth should be rich and slightly thick from the starch released by the yuca and potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and cumin as needed.
6. 6 Ladle the sancocho into large, deep bowls, ensuring each serving has chicken, corn, and a variety of the root vegetables. Serve with a mound of white rice on the side and lime wedges for squeezing. This is Panama's most beloved comfort food.