Pepián de Pollo (Guatemalan Chicken Stew)

About This Recipe

Pepián is widely recognized as Guatemala's national dish and one of the country's oldest recipes, with roots that trace back to Maya cooking traditions predating Spanish colonization. Its defining feature is the recado — a sauce built by dry-toasting pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and several varieties of dried chile until fragrant, then grinding them with tomatoes, tomatillos, and a corn tortilla into a thick, nutty, earthy paste that both flavors and thickens the stew. Chicken pieces simmer directly in this sauce alongside chunks of potato, carrot, and green beans, taking on a deep reddish-brown color and a flavor that's smoky and slightly bitter from the toasted seeds rather than sharply spicy. Unlike many Latin American stews that lean on fresh herbs for brightness, pepián's character comes almost entirely from the toasting step — under-toasted seeds and chiles produce a flat, muddy sauce, while properly toasted ones give the stew its signature depth. Served over white rice with extra tortillas on the side for scooping, pepián is a dish typically reserved for special occasions and Sunday family meals, considered by many Guatemalans a matter of genuine culinary pride and identity.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgbone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1.5 litrewater or chicken stock
• 1 smallonion, halved (for poaching chicken)
• 2 clovesgarlic (for poaching chicken)
• 0.5 cupraw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 0.25 cupsesame seeds
• 3dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3plum tomatoes
• 3tomatillos, husked
• 1corn tortilla, torn
• 2cloves garlic, for the sauce
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 3whole allspice berries
• 2potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2carrots, sliced into thick rounds
• 1 cupgreen beans, trimmed
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 1.5 tspfine salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Poach the chicken

   Place chicken in a large pot with water, halved onion, and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes until just cooked through. Remove chicken and strain, reserving the broth.

2. 2

   Toast the seeds and chiles

   In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds separately until fragrant and lightly popping, about 3-4 minutes each. Toast the dried chiles briefly, 20-30 seconds per side, until fragrant but not burnt.

3. 3

   Char the vegetables

   In the same dry skillet, char tomatoes and tomatillos, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots, about 8-10 minutes.

4. 4

   Blend the recado

   Rehydrate the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain. Blend chiles, toasted seeds, charred tomatoes and tomatillos, tortilla, garlic, thyme, and allspice with a cup of the reserved chicken broth until smooth.

5. 5

   Cook the sauce

   Heat oil in a large pot. Pour in the blended sauce carefully (it will splatter) and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes until it darkens and thickens slightly.

6. 6

   Simmer with chicken and vegetables

   Add remaining reserved broth to reach a stew-like consistency. Add chicken, potatoes, carrots, and salt. Simmer 20 minutes, then add green beans and cook 8-10 more minutes until all vegetables are tender.

7. 7

   Serve

   Adjust salt to taste. Serve hot over white rice with warm tortillas on the side.

Variations

• •

  Pepián de res uses beef instead of chicken and requires a longer simmer to tenderize the meat.

• •

  Some regions add chayote squash or güisquil alongside the potatoes and carrots.

• •

  A vegetarian version replaces chicken with extra vegetables and mushrooms simmered in the same recado sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate pepián up to 4 days; the flavor deepens overnight, making leftovers arguably even better. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions