Naples chef shares Colombian soup tied to his childhood

For Alex Léon, creative chef and manager at Unidos Latin Kitchen and Bar in Naples, his mother’s recipe for traditional Colombian chicken and potato soup transports him instantly back to his childhood in Bogotá.

Unidos’ owner Sal Muñoz discovered Léon on social media and traveled to Colombia to meet him at the restaurant where he was cooking before recruiting him for Unidos in 2024. Léon oversees a kitchen crew of 10 to 11 during season and often serves the hearty soup during “family meal” for the restaurant staff.

As busy as he is in the kitchen at Unidos, Léon said he is always cooking at home, where ajiaco santafereño is one of his favorite dishes to serve family and friends. He said it is one of Bogotá’s most iconic dishes, but also has a deeply personal meaning for him.

“I remember the big pot at home, filled with potatoes, corn, guascas (a Colombian herb) and whole chicken leg quarters, all slowly cooking together,” Léon says. “And you can’t imagine how amazing my mom’s ajiaco was. I loved it so much that it eventually became my favorite birthday meal; whenever my birthday came around, my mom already knew exactly what I wanted to eat.”

Cooking has always been second nature to Léon, who said he learned from his grandmother and mother, and realized early on that he wanted to become a chef.

“It’s my profession, it’s my life, and I love it,” Léon says with a smile during an interview at Unidos. “My friends will call and say, ‘Alex, are you making food?’ And I say, ‘Yes, come on!’ That’s my life.”

León noted that ajiaco is a perfect dish for cooler weather in Naples during season, and a great option for serving crowds of friends and family during the holidays.

“Today, living and cooking far from Bogotá, I wanted to bring this dish with me because it doesn’t just represent the city I come from,” he says. “It represents my mom, my birthdays and my home.”

Ajiaco Santafereño

Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup

Serves: 5

Difficulty: Easy

Prep & cook time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

For the Ajiaco

• 2 lbs whole chicken leg quarters, bone in, skin removed

• 10 cups water

• 2 lbs papas Criollas (Colombian potatoes), peeled. If small, leave whole or cut in half; if large, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1.5 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 3 ears of corn, cut into rounds

• 1/2 cup scallions

• 1 tbsp fresh garlic

• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro

• 1 tbsp dried guascas (Colombian herb)

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

For Garnish

• 2 fresh avocados

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 2 oz capers

• Frying oil, as needed

(Olive oil, avocado oil or oil of choice)

Method

Prepare the base

Blend the scallions, garlic, cilantro and one small potato with approximately 8–10 fl. oz of water in a blender until smooth.

Cook the chicken and corn

Place the remaining water in a large pot. Add the blended mixture, the whole skinless chicken leg quarters and the corn.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Cook for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

The corn goes in from the beginning because it requires a longer cooking time.

Remove and shred the chicken

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

Once cool enough to handle, remove the bones and shred the meat.

Keep the shredded chicken warm with a small amount of the cooking broth so it stays moist.

Start adding potatoes

Add the russet potatoes and half of the papas Criollas.

Cook over medium-low heat for approximately 15–20 minutes.

Allow the potatoes to begin breaking down and naturally thickening the broth.

Add remaining potatoes

Add the Yukon Gold potatoes and the remaining papas Criollas.

Continue cooking for another 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The final consistency should be rich and creamy while still having visible pieces of potato.

Add the guascas

Add the dried guascas during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Fry the crispy capers

Drain and thoroughly dry the capers.

Fry briefly in hot oil until they open slightly and become crispy.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

To serve

Place the shredded chicken in each bowl with pieces of potato and corn.

Ladle the hot ajiaco over the ingredients.

Top with slices of fresh avocado, a dollop of whipped heavy cream and a few crispy fried capers.

Serve immediately.

Notes & Chef’s Tips

Adding a raw potato to the blended base helps the ajiaco thicken faster and develop its characteristic creamy consistency.

If making after Thanksgiving, leftover shredded turkey can be used instead of chicken.

Do not blend the finished soup. The potatoes should naturally create the characteristic texture of the ajiaco.

Serve with white rice on the side, which can be added to the soup.

When serving the soup at lunch, Léon suggests a Refajo Colombiano, a beer cocktail made by combining pale beer or ale with a Colombian orange soda, which he describes as “very refreshing.”

For a wine pairing at dinner, Léon recommends a full-bodied Malbec.