Sancocho de Pollo

Chop the tomatoes and yellow onion finely. In a large Dutch oven or cazuela, heat a splash of olive-oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cumin, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in the chopped tomatoes and cook down until they break into a rich, thick sauce, about 10 minutes.

Roughly chop the cilantro (stems and all — that's where the flavor lives) and stir it into the hogao. Season with salt. This is the soul of your sancocho, mi amor.

Nestle the chicken thighs into the hogao, turning to coat each piece. Pour in the chicken broth and bring everything to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.

While the chicken cooks, peel and cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into large chunks. They should be big enough to hold together in the soup.

Add the potato chunks, sweet potato, and sliced carrots to the pot. Cut the corn into 2-inch segments and add those too. Simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until all vegetables are fork-tender.

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more salt and black pepper. The sancocho should be rich, savory, and deeply fragrant.

Serve in deep bowls with plenty of broth. Squeeze fresh lime over the top and garnish with avocado slices. This soup is even better the next day when the flavors have married overnight.