Guatemalan Pepián

Ingredients

• For the Chicken:
• 1.5kg bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks work best)
• 1 litre water or chicken stock
• 1/2 white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 sprig fresh cilantro (coriander)
• For the Recado (sauce base) — toast each separately:
• 100g raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), hulled
• 50g sesame seeds
• 2 dried guajillo chilis, stems and seeds removed
• 2 dried pasilla or ancho chilis, stems and seeds removed
• 1 dried chipotle or chile de árbol (for heat — add more to taste)
• For the Charred Vegetables:
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, halved
• 6 tomatillos, husked and halved
• 1/2 white onion, cut into wedges
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• For the Full Sauce:
• 2 slices stale white bread or 2 corn tortillas (for thickening)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tbsp lard or neutral oil
• 600–800ml reserved chicken broth (from poaching the chicken)
• Salt to taste
• For Serving:
• White rice
• Warm corn tortillas
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. 1Poach the chicken: Place chicken pieces in a pot with water or stock, half onion, garlic, salt, and cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 35–40 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove chicken pieces and set aside. Strain and reserve the broth — you will need 600–800ml.
2. 2Toast the pumpkin seeds: In a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring constantly, until they begin to pop and turn lightly golden — 4–5 minutes. Do not let them brown darkly or they will be bitter. Transfer to a plate to cool.
3. 3Toast the sesame seeds: In the same dry comal, toast sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring, until golden — about 3 minutes. They burn fast; watch carefully. Transfer to the plate.
4. 4Toast the dried chilis: Briefly press each dried chili flat against the hot comal for 10–15 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly puffed. They should darken slightly but not blacken. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate, then drain.
5. 5Char the vegetables: Place tomatoes, tomatillos, onion wedges, and unpeeled garlic directly on the dry comal over medium-high heat. Cook without moving for 5–7 minutes until deeply charred on the bottom side. Flip and char the other side. You want genuine blackened spots — the char adds depth to the sauce. Peel the garlic.
6. 6Toast the bread or tortilla: Briefly toast the bread slices or tortillas on the comal until dry and lightly browned on both sides. This will help thicken the sauce.
7. 7Grind the dry ingredients: In a blender, grind the cooled pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds to a fine powder. Add the soaked, drained chilis and blend again. Add the charred tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, peeled garlic, toasted bread, cumin, allspice, pepper, cinnamon, and coriander. Blend everything together with 200ml of the reserved broth until as smooth as possible. The sauce will be thick and dark red. (If your blender struggles, add more broth.)
8. 8Fry the recado: Heat lard or oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering. Pour in the blended sauce all at once — it will sputter dramatically. Stir immediately and continuously. Cook the recado, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until it darkens several shades, becomes very fragrant, and the fat begins to separate around the edges. This step is essential — it removes the raw flavor and develops complexity.
9. 9Build the stew: Add 400–600ml of the reserved chicken broth, a ladleful at a time, stirring to incorporate after each addition. The sauce should reach the consistency of a thick tomato soup — not pasty, not watery. Add the poached chicken pieces to the pot. Simmer everything together over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the sauce flavors.
10. 10Season generously with salt. Taste the sauce — it should be rich, slightly smoky, with depth from the seeds, heat from the chilis, and a background sweetness from the charred tomatoes. Adjust consistency with more broth if needed.
11. 11Serve in deep bowls with white rice alongside and warm corn tortillas for scooping. Scatter fresh cilantro over each bowl. Pepián tastes better the next day once the flavors have deepened overnight.