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Recipe photo for Pepián de Pollo

Pepián de Pollo

by United by Taste

Pepián de Pollo

Pepián de Pollo is a complex, hearty Guatemalan stew characterized by its thick, dark sauce made from toasted seeds, nuts, and charred vegetables. It is a soul-warming dish that perfectly marries indigenous Mayan techniques with Spanish ingredients like cinnamon and cloves.

by United by Taste

🌶️Spicy
🇬🇹 Guatemala ·North America · $$
Prep
Cook
Total
6 portions

Pepián is widely considered the national dish of Guatemala and was declared a National Cultural Heritage in 2007. Its origins are deeply rooted in the Kaqchikel Mayan culture, where it was historically served during religious and ceremonial rituals.

The dish is a "Mestizo" creation—it represents the blending of two worlds. The pre-Hispanic base relies on pumpkin seeds (pepitoria), sesame seeds, and local chilies (typically guaque and pasa), while the Spanish influence brought meat, cinnamon, and cilantro to the pot.

While chicken is the most common protein today, you will find variations using beef or pork, and in some regions, a "Pepián Negro" which is darker and more toasted, versus a "Pepián Colorado" which is redder and uses more achiote or tomatoes. Unlike some Mexican moles which can be sweet, Pepián is savory, earthy, and nutty. It is traditionally served with a side of white rice and thick, hand-slapped corn tortillas.

Ingredients

Meat & Stock

1 kg chicken cut into pieces
3 l water for cooking meat
2 tsp salt for cooking meat

Sauce Base

2 piece guaque chiles dried, stems and seeds removed (or Ancho chile)
2 piece pasa chiles dried, stems and seeds removed
4 piece roma tomatoes charred
1 piece white onion quartered and charred
2 clove garlic peeled
2 corn tortillas
0.5 cup fresh cilantro
0.5 tsp achiote powder or smoked paprika

Seeds and Nuts

150 g pumpkin seeds hulled, toasted
75 g sesame seeds toasted
0.5 piece cinnamon stick around 1 inch

Vegetables

2 piece carrots sliced
3 piece potatoes peeled and cubed
0.5 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces

Final Seasonings

1 pinch salt to taste
1 pinch black pepper to taste
1 chicken broth optional

For Serving

0 lime wedges for serving
0 white rice optional

Ingredients

6 portions

Meat & Stock

1 kgchicken cut into pieces
3 lwater for cooking meat
2 tspsalt for cooking meat

Sauce Base

2 pieceguaque chiles dried, stems and seeds removed (or Ancho chile)
2 piecepasa chiles dried, stems and seeds removed
4 pieceroma tomatoes charred
1 piecewhite onion quartered and charred
2 clovegarlic peeled
2 corn tortillas
0.5 cupfresh cilantro
0.5 tspachiote powder or smoked paprika

Seeds and Nuts

150 gpumpkin seeds hulled, toasted
75 gsesame seeds toasted
0.5 piececinnamon stick around 1 inch

Vegetables

2 piececarrots sliced
3 piecepotatoes peeled and cubed
0.5 cupgreen beans cut into 1-inch pieces

Final Seasonings

1 pinchsalt to taste
1 pinchblack pepper to taste
1 chicken broth optional

For Serving

lime wedges for serving
white rice optional

Instructions

Cook the meat

  1. 1

    Boil the meat

    In a large pot, combine chicken, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Remove meat and strain the broth, reserving 2 liters of cooking liquid. Shred or cut meat into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare the chile sauce

  1. 1

    Toast and soak chiles

    Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Toast the dried chiles for 3-5 minutes per side until fragrant but not burnt. Place in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 20 minutes until softened.

  2. 2

    Char vegetables

    On the same pan, char the tomatoes, onion quarters, and garlic cloves until blackened in spots and softened, turning occasionally. This will take about 15-20 minutes total.

  3. 3

    Toast seeds and spices

    In a dry pan, toast pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and cinnamon over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant.

  4. 4

    Grind seed mixture

    Let toasted seeds and spices cool completely. Grind in a spice grinder or powerful blender until you have a fine powder. This may need to be done in batches.

  5. 5

    Toast and grind corn tortillas

    Toast corn tortillas until the skin is charred. Grind in a food processor.

Make the sauce

  1. 1

    Blend the sauce

    Drain the soaked chiles and add to a blender with the charred vegetables, ground seed mixture, ground corn tortillas, and 2 cups of the reserved meat broth. Blend until completely smooth, adding more broth as needed. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

  2. 2

    Cook the sauce

    Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the blended sauce and cook, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes until darkened and thickened. The sauce should coat a spoon.

Assemble the pepián

  1. 1

    Combine and simmer

    Add the cooked meat to the sauce along with 4-5 cups of the reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and add the vegetables: potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender.

  2. 2

    Final seasoning

    Season with salt, pepper, and bouillon cube if using. The consistency should be like a thick stew; add more broth if it's too thick. Simmer for 5 more minutes to meld flavors.

Tips & Notes

  • The Roasting (Crucial Step): You cannot rush the dry-roasting of the seeds (pepitoria and sesame). If you burn them, the sauce becomes bitter; if you under-toast them, the dish lacks its signature nutty depth. Similarly, the tomatoes, onions, and garlic must be charred until the skins are blackened. This provides the "smoke" flavor that defines the dish.

  • The Thickener: Authentic Pepián uses toasted bread or a toasted tortilla blended into the sauce as a thickener. Using cornstarch or flour is a shortcut that alters the texture and flavor profile—avoid it if you want an honest result.

  • Chili: The Chile Guaque and Chile Pasa are vital. If you substitute them with standard chili powder, you lose the authentic Guatemalan profile. If you cannot find them, dried New Mexico or Ancho chilies are the closest acceptable alternatives, but the flavor will shift.

  • Storage and Serving: Pepián is one of those rare dishes that actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have "married" in the fridge.

    • Fridge: Lasts 3–4 days.

    • Freezer: The sauce freezes exceptionally well for up to 3 months, though the vegetables (like potatoes or güisquil/chayote) may get a bit mushy upon reheating.

    • Best Practice: Serve it steaming hot. If the sauce becomes too thick after sitting, thin it out with a little extra chicken broth, never water.

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