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Meat, Americas

Guatemalan chicken pepián

Chicken pepián is Guatemala's national dish, a stew of chicken thighs simmered in a thick sauce made from toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, and spices. It serves 4 and takes 1 hour 10 minutes, with medium difficulty and a cost of €3.50 per serving. The key to success is toasting the seeds well, which gives the sauce its deep flavor.

Guatemala's national dish, a chicken stew in a thick sauce of toasted seeds, tomatoes, and spices. A real discovery.

Guatemalan chicken pepián
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Pepián surprises you from the first bite. The sauce is thick, almost paste like, with a toasted flavor that comes from sesame and pumpkin seeds roasted dry in the pan. Cinnamon and paprika add a gentle warmth rather than sharp heat, and blended stale bread gives the sauce body you can't quite place. The chicken simmers long enough to fall apart on the fork.

This is a dish for a Sunday or an evening when you have a bit of time, not really for a rushed weeknight. It's a nice change from the usual curries and tagines while still feeling familiar, thanks to the chicken and rice. Mon Chou suggests it when you want to try something new without taking a real risk, it's a genuine discovery that wins over curious eaters at the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Sesame seedsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Pumpkin seedsoften in the pantry 40 g
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Espelette pepperoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 60 cl
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Stale bread 2 slices

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 4 sprigs

Allergens Sesame, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in an oiled Dutch oven, season with salt and pepper, then set aside. 10 min

    Keep the rendered fat in the pot to flavor the sauce.

  2. Dry toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and bread cut into pieces, then sauté the onion and garlic. 8 min

    Stir constantly so the seeds don't scorch.

  3. Blend the toasted seeds with the tomatoes, spices, and a bit of broth.

    Blend for a while to get a smooth sauce.

  4. Pour the sauce into the pot, add the chicken back in, pour in the broth, and let it simmer covered. 40 min

    Stir occasionally, the sauce thickens and can stick.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain. Serve the chicken topped with sauce alongside the rice and chopped cilantro. 11 min

    In the Andes, it's also served with warm tortillas.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs with the skin on, it renders fat in the pot that flavors the whole sauce from the start.
  • If the sauce starts sticking near the end of simmering, stir in a little hot broth rather than cold water, so the cooking doesn't stall.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in, that's the right moment to adjust salt or chile to your liking.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless chicken thighs, they cook a bit faster and stay just as tender.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with potatoes and zucchini simmered directly in the sauce.
  • For kids, cut the chile in half, the sauce keeps its toasted flavor without the heat.

What to serve it with

  • White rice
  • Warm tortillas
  • Sliced avocado

Storage

Pepián keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, sauce and chicken together, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you swap the pumpkin seeds for something else?

Yes, sunflower seeds work well and give a similar result. The important part is toasting them dry to keep the sauce's signature roasted flavor.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can blend the sauce a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Just reheat it with the chicken the next day for the final simmer.

Why do you need to toast the seeds before blending?

Dry toasting brings out the flavor in the sesame and pumpkin seeds. Skip this step and the sauce turns out flatter and less fragrant.

Can you use fresh bread instead of stale bread?

Yes, but toast it lightly in the oven for a few minutes first. Stale bread has the advantage of soaking up the sauce without turning gummy.

How long does it take to make a Guatemalan chicken pepián?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Guatemalan chicken pepián?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Guatemalan chicken pepián cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains sesame, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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