Chicken Pepián

Toasted seeds and charred tomatoes give this Guatemalan chicken stew a rounded, nutty sauce.

Guatemala · Chicken · 80 min

DeSabor Kitchen · Published October 5, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026 · 25 / 55 / 80 min · 4 · Guatemala

Char the vegetables and toast seeds in separate batches so none burn while another ingredient is still cooking. Blend the recado finely with reserved chicken broth; the toasted tortilla helps give body.

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces; 1 litre water
• 3 tomatoes; 4 tomatillos; 1 onion; 3 garlic cloves
• 1 guajillo chile and 1 ancho chile, seeded
• 40 g pumpkin seeds; 25 g sesame seeds
• 1 corn tortilla, toasted
• 300 g potatoes, cubed; 200 g green beans
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Simmer chicken in water with salt for 30 minutes. Skim as needed and reserve the broth.
2. Char tomatoes, tomatillos, onion and garlic in a dry skillet. Briefly toast seeded chiles, then soak 10 minutes. Toast pumpkin and sesame seeds separately until fragrant.
3. Blend roasted vegetables, drained chiles, seeds, tortilla and cinnamon with 400 ml broth until smooth. Return sauce to the chicken pot.
4. Add potatoes and beans; simmer 20–25 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken reaches 74°C. Thin with reserved broth and adjust salt.

Cook's Tips

• Toast seeds over moderate heat and move them constantly; burnt seeds make the sauce bitter.

Home-style recipe; not independently kitchen-tested. Check all ingredients and substitutions for allergens. Times are estimates; use the texture and temperature checks in the method. Serving accompaniments are separate unless listed. In temperatures above 32°C, refrigerate perishables within 1 hour rather than 2.