Pepián is a beloved Guatemalan chicken stew with a thick, savory sauce made from toasted chiles, tomatoes, seeds, and spices. Its exact ingredients vary by region and household, but this version pairs the rich sauce with tender chicken, potatoes, chayote, and green beans for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks, about 6 pieces
- 1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water, for simmering the chicken
- 2 dried chile guaque, about 12 g; substitute 2 dried guajillo chiles, which make the sauce a little fruitier
- 1 dried chile pasa, about 8 g; substitute 1 dried ancho chile, which gives a deeper, sweeter flavor
- ¼ cup (32 g) raw pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas
- ¼ cup (36 g) sesame seeds
- 2 corn tortillas, about 50 g total
- 4 Roma tomatoes, about 500 g, halved lengthwise
- 2 tomatillos, about 150 g, husks removed and rinsed; if unavailable, use 1 extra tomato and expect a less tangy sauce
- 1 medium yellow onion, about 150 g, peeled and quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, about 15 g, peeled
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 5 g
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tsp (2 g) black peppercorns
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral cooking oil
- 2 medium potatoes, about 400 g, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 chayote, about 300 g, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 cup (125 g) trimmed green beans, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
- ½ cup (15 g) loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 cups (480 ml) reserved chicken cooking liquid, or enough to thin the sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and vegetables. Pat the chicken dry and season it all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Keep the pieces refrigerated while you wash and cut the vegetables. Set out a heavy skillet, a large pot with a lid, and a blender. This organized start makes it easier to toast the sauce ingredients while the chicken simmers.
- Start the chicken. Put the chicken and 6 cups (1.4 L) water in the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for about 35 minutes. Keep the chicken pieces submerged as much as possible; a hard boil can make the meat tougher and cloud the broth.
- Toast the seeds, tortilla, and chiles. While the chicken cooks, heat the dry skillet over medium-low. Toast the pumpkin seeds for 2–3 minutes, stirring until lightly golden and beginning to pop, then transfer them to a plate. Toast the sesame seeds for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, and remove them as soon as fragrant. Toast the tortillas in the skillet until dry and browned in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chile stems and shake out most of the seeds. Toast the chiles for 10–15 seconds per side, just until aromatic; do not let them blacken, or the sauce can taste bitter. Put them in a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 minutes to soften.
- Char the fresh vegetables and spices. Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic in the skillet in batches. Cook, turning as needed, until softened and blistered in spots, about 8–12 minutes total. Transfer them to a plate. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and cumin to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Take care not to scorch the small spices.
- Blend the pepián sauce. Drain the softened chiles. Break the toasted tortillas into pieces. Put the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chiles, tortilla, charred vegetables, toasted spices, cilantro, oil, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and 1½ cups (360 ml) of the chicken cooking liquid in a blender. Blend until the sauce is as smooth as you can get it, stopping to scrape down the sides. If your blender is small, work in batches and keep the lid vent open with a towel over it when blending hot ingredients.
- Finish the stew. Lift the chicken from the pot and set it aside briefly. Skim excess fat from the broth, then return the chicken to the pot with the potatoes, chayote, and green beans. Pour in the sauce and stir gently. Add up to another ½ cup (120 ml) cooking liquid if the stew looks too thick to simmer freely. Cover and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce clings to the chicken. Check the thickest part of each chicken piece with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone: USDA FSIS lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. Simmer a little longer if needed.
- Adjust and serve. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. If it is thinner than you like, simmer uncovered for a few minutes, stirring so the seeds do not catch on the bottom. If it is very thick, add warm cooking liquid a splash at a time. Serve hot with the vegetables and plenty of sauce.
Tips
- Toast gently. Seeds and dried chiles develop flavor quickly, but burnt ones can make the whole pot bitter. Use medium-low heat for the seeds and keep the chiles moving; remove each ingredient as soon as it smells toasted.
- Choose a useful chile substitute. Guatemalan chile guaque and chile pasa can be hard to find outside Latin American markets. Guajillo and ancho are practical alternatives, though their flavor is not identical. Avoid adding extra chiles automatically: taste the sauce first, since dried peppers vary in heat.
- Control the sauce texture. Pepián should be thick and spoonable, not pasty. Blend with the measured liquid first, then thin it gradually. If you want a smoother sauce, strain it through a fine sieve, though that removes some of the toasted-seed texture.
- Cut vegetables evenly. Similar-sized potato and chayote pieces cook at roughly the same pace. If your potato chunks are larger, add them a few minutes before the chayote and beans so none of the vegetables turns mushy while another stays firm.
Serving Suggestions
Serve pepián in shallow bowls so each person gets chicken, vegetables, and a generous ladle of sauce. Plain white rice is a familiar accompaniment and makes the meal more filling; spoon a little sauce over the rice rather than leaving it on the side. Warm corn tortillas are useful for gathering up the last of the stew. In Guatemala, pepián may also be served with tamalitos, small steamed corn preparations, and the combination varies from meal to meal.
A simple side of sliced avocado, cucumber, or crisp lettuce offers a cool contrast to the warm, thick sauce. Keep fresh sides lightly dressed so their flavor does not compete with the roasted seeds and chiles. If serving the stew for a group, bring the pot to the table with a serving spoon and offer extra warm broth separately; diners can loosen their portions to their preferred consistency.
Variations
Use another protein: Beef or pork can be used in place of chicken, though their cooking times differ. Simmer whole cuts of beef or pork until tender and check that they reach 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest; if using ground meat, cook it to 160°F (71°C). For a meat-free pot, use cooked chickpeas or firm tofu and vegetable broth, adding them only for the final 10 minutes so they warm through without breaking apart.
Make the sauce milder or hotter: For a gentler sauce, remove all chile seeds and veins before soaking, or use one guajillo and one ancho instead of the full chile quantity. For more heat, add a small dried hot chile, but blend in only part at first and taste before adding more.
Change the vegetables: Chayote is a traditional, mild squash-like vegetable, but it can be difficult to find. Replace it with an equal weight of peeled green zucchini or yellow squash; add those softer vegetables during the last 10 minutes so they hold their shape. Carrots can also be added with the potatoes for a sweeter note, though they are not a required ingredient in every version.
Make the sauce ahead: Blend the chile, tomato, seed, and spice mixture up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate it. The sauce may thicken as it sits, so stir in a little warm broth while reheating it. Cook the chicken and vegetables on the day you plan to serve the stew for the best texture.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover pepián within 2 hours of cooking. Transfer it to shallow, airtight containers so it cools promptly, and keep it refrigerated for 3–4 days. The sauce may set into a thicker layer as it chills; that is normal. For longer storage, freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months, leaving a little room for expansion. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
Reheat a portion in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently and adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce is too thick. Heat until the center reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. You can also microwave a covered portion, stirring halfway through and checking the temperature in more than one spot. Avoid repeated cooling and reheating of the whole pot; warm only the amount you plan to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pepián taste like? Pepián is savory, gently spiced, and rich from toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds. The tomatoes and tomatillos add brightness, while the chiles contribute a rounded dried-pepper flavor rather than necessarily making the stew very hot. Its exact balance changes with the chiles used and the cook’s preferred thickness.
Can I make pepián without a blender? A blender gives the smoothest sauce, but a food processor can work if you blend in small batches and add liquid gradually. For a more rustic texture, finely chop the softened chiles and charred vegetables, then crush the toasted seeds and spices with a mortar and pestle. The result will be less silky, but the same core flavors remain.
Can I use boneless chicken? Yes. Boneless thighs are a convenient option, but they cook faster and contribute less flavor to the broth than bone-in pieces. Simmer them until cooked through, begin checking early, and use the thermometer rather than relying only on the recipe’s timing. USDA FSIS’s safe minimum for poultry is 165°F (74°C).
Why is my pepián bitter? The most common cause is over-toasted chiles or spices. Dried chiles need only a brief toast, and seeds should turn fragrant and lightly golden rather than dark brown. If the sauce is only slightly bitter, adding a little more cooking liquid and a pinch of salt may soften the impression, but heavily burnt ingredients are difficult to disguise.
Can I prepare the whole stew a day ahead? Yes. Cool it promptly, refrigerate it in covered containers, and reheat gently the next day to 165°F (74°C). The sauce often becomes thicker and more integrated after resting, so loosen it with a little broth or water as it warms. The potatoes may soften somewhat, but careful reheating helps them keep their shape.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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