Method

  1. Prepare the vegetables and chicken safely

    Before opening the chicken package, peel 400 g of yellow potatoes and 300 g of chayote squash, remove the chayote core, and cut both into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) chunks. Trim 180 g of green beans and cut them into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces; keep the prepared vegetables away from the raw poultry area. Place 700 g of boneless skinless chicken thighs on a dedicated washable board or rimmed plate, away from vegetables and serving items. Pat it dry with paper towels, cut it into 2-inch (5 cm) stew pieces, and season it evenly with 3 g of kosher salt for chicken. Discard the towels and packaging, then wash your hands and clean the knife, board, and nearby surfaces before handling ready-to-eat ingredients.

  2. Toast the recado base

    Separately toasted pepitas, sesame seeds, corn tortillas, dried chiles, cloves, and peppercorns for Guatemalan chicken pepián

    Heat a wide dry skillet over medium heat. Open 20 g of dried guajillo chiles and 10 g of dried ancho chile, remove the stems and most seeds, then toast the chiles for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable; move them to a large plate before they darken sharply. Toast 60 g of raw pepitas for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until puffed with light brown spots, then transfer them to the same plate. Toast 20 g of sesame seeds for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until evenly golden, and add it to the plate. Toast 40 g of corn tortillas for thickening for 4 to 6 minutes, turning often, until dry and deeply browned without black patches. Finally, toast 0.4 g of whole cloves and 1 g of black peppercorns for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the skillet, until fragrant. Keep every toasted batch on the plate and stop immediately if any ingredient begins to smoke or blacken.

  3. Char the vegetables

    Charred tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic for Guatemalan chicken pepián recado

    Keep the skillet over medium-high heat. Halve 500 g of ripe plum tomatoes and 250 g of tomatillos, cut 180 g of white onion into thick wedges, and leave 4 garlic cloves in the skins. Arrange everything cut-side down where possible. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning as needed and starting to check at 12 minutes, until the tomatoes slump, the tomatillos turn olive green, the onion softens, and several surfaces have dark brown blisters. Peel the garlic when cool enough to handle.

    12:00

  4. Blend the recado

    Smooth brick-red pepián recado coating a spoon beside a blender

    Transfer 500 g of ripe plum tomatoes, 250 g of tomatillos, 180 g of white onion, and 4 garlic cloves to a blender after charring. Add 20 g of dried guajillo chiles, 10 g of dried ancho chile, 60 g of raw pepitas, 20 g of sesame seeds, 40 g of corn tortillas for thickening, 0.4 g of whole cloves, and 1 g of black peppercorns after toasting them, followed by 1.3 g of ground cinnamon, 0.5 g of ground allspice, and 500 ml of unsalted chicken broth for sauce. Vent the lid safely and blend in batches if needed until the recado is smooth, brick red, and thick enough to coat a spoon, with no gritty seed fragments.

  5. Brown the chicken

    Heat a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then warm 15 ml of olive oil until shimmering. Add 700 g of boneless skinless chicken thighs in a single layer without crowding, working in batches when necessary. Cook each batch for 6 to 8 minutes total, restarting the timer for every batch and turning after the first side releases easily, until several surfaces are golden brown. The chicken will not be cooked through yet. Transfer it to a clean plate that never held raw poultry.

    06:00

  6. Simmer the chicken and firm vegetables

    Lower the heat to medium. Pour the blended recado into the pot carefully; it may spatter. Stir for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, then return the chicken and any juices. Add 250 ml of unsalted chicken broth for simmering, 400 g of yellow potatoes, 300 g of chayote squash, and 3 g of kosher salt for sauce. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring around the vegetables every few minutes so the thick sauce does not catch on the bottom.

    25:00

  7. Finish the stew and check doneness

    Fully cooked Guatemalan chicken pepián in a Dutch oven with thick recado and tender vegetables

    Add 180 g of green beans and simmer uncovered for 8 to 12 minutes, starting to check at 8 minutes, until the beans are tender, the potatoes and chayote yield to a knife, and the sauce is thick but still pourable. Use a food thermometer to check the largest chicken pieces in the center; every piece must reach at least 74°C/165°F. If the vegetables need more time after the chicken is done, move the chicken to a clean serving dish and continue simmering the vegetables briefly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

    08:00

  8. Serve the pepián

    Ladle the pepián into deep bowls, making sure each serving gets chicken, potatoes, chayote, green beans, and plenty of recado. Serve immediately with steamed white rice (optional) and corn tortillas for serving (optional) alongside.

Cook's notePepián should settle into a sauce that pours slowly and coats every piece. If it tightens too much before serving, stir in a small splash of hot water or unsalted broth.

Smart Substitutions

  • No guajillo chiles? Use dried New Mexico chiles for a similarly mild, red-fruit flavor.
  • No ancho chile? Use a dried pasilla chile; the sauce will be slightly earthier and less sweet.
  • No chayote? Use peeled turnip or zucchini, adding zucchini with the green beans so it keeps its shape.
  • No pepitas? Use unsalted sunflower seed kernels, knowing the recado will taste less distinctly like pepián.

Tips and Variations

  • Toast the chiles separately from the seeds; dried chiles can turn bitter in seconds.
  • Blend the recado longer than seems necessary. The seeds and tortilla should disappear into the sauce rather than remain sandy.
  • Keep the simmer gentle and scrape the bottom regularly because the seed-thickened sauce catches more easily than a thin broth.

What Went Wrong?

  • The recado tastes bitter A chile or seed likely scorched. Blend in an extra charred tomato and a little unsalted broth to soften mild bitterness; restart the toasted base if the bitterness is strong.
  • The sauce feels gritty Blend it longer with a little hot broth. For an especially smooth recado, press it through a fine-mesh sieve before simmering.
  • The sauce is too thin Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon.
  • The chicken is done before the vegetables Move the chicken to a clean serving dish once it reaches 74°C/165°F, then continue simmering the vegetables until tender.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories585
Protein49 g
Carbs51 g
Fat23 g
  • Fiber: 12 g per serving
  • Sodium: 760 mg per serving

Nutrition disclaimer:This recipe is provided for general cooking information only. Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by ingredients, brands, preparation methods, and serving sizes. Check ingredient labels and follow appropriate food-safety practices. This content is not medical, dietary, allergy, or professional food-safety advice.

chickenstewGuatemalantraditional

FAQ

Is Guatemalan chicken pepián very spicy?Usually no. Guajillo and ancho chiles bring color, fruitiness, and mild warmth more than sharp heat; removing most seeds keeps this version gentle.
What gives pepián its thick texture?Ground pepitas, sesame seeds, and toasted corn tortillas thicken the charred tomato and tomatillo recado while adding its characteristic nutty body.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?Yes. Cut boneless chicken breast into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces and brown it as directed. Let the potatoes and chayote simmer in the recado for 15 minutes before returning the browned breast pieces; simmer for 10 minutes, add the green beans, and continue cooking until every chicken piece reaches 74°C/165°F without becoming dry.