Chicken and vegetables in a roasted tomato, chile, sesame and pepitoria sauce
Pepián is a historic Guatemalan stew with Kaqchikel roots, prepared for celebrations and family tables. Its body comes from ingredients roasted separately—tomatoes, tomatillos, dried chilies, sesame, pepitoria, spices and bread—then ground with chicken broth. Chicken and substantial vegetables finish in the deeply toasted sauce.
- Prep
- 45 mins
- Cook
- 1 hour 30 mins
- Total
- 2 hours 15 mins
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Cuisine
- Guatemalan
The recipe
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Before you start
Place the chicken in a large pot with water and half the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and skim carefully. Add potatoes, green beans, carrot and chayote according to their cooking times so all become just tender. Lift out the chicken and vegetables, strain the broth, and reserve 1.5 liters.
Ingredients
For the chicken and vegetables
For the roasted sauce
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Large stockpot paid link
- Heavy saucepan paid link
- Comal or heavy frying pan paid link
- Blender paid link
- Medium-mesh sieve paid link
- Tongs paid link
- Chef’s knife paid link
- Cutting board paid link
- Digital kitchen scale paid link
Method
On a dry comal or heavy pan, toast sesame, pepitoria, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and pepper separately until fragrant. Do not burn them.
Char tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, bell pepper, dried chilies and half the coriander until softened and marked. Peel the garlic.
Blend the roasted produce, toasted seeds and spices, toasted bread and 1 liter reserved chicken broth until very smooth.
Pass the sauce through a medium sieve into a clean heavy pot, pressing well.
Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently so the seed-thickened sauce does not catch.
Add the chicken and cooked vegetables. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, adding enough reserved broth to create a sauce that coats but still flows.
Chop and stir in the remaining fresh coriander. Taste and add the remaining salt as needed.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving or portioning.
Chef’s notes
Roast each ingredient according to its size. Seeds can burn long before tomatoes soften.
A high-powered blender produces the smoothest sauce, but sieving still gives pepián its refined, even body.
Keep the sauce moving once the ground seeds and bread are added because they settle quickly.
Tips and variations
Prepare the sauce one day ahead and refrigerate it; the toasted flavors deepen overnight.
Turkey or pork appears in other traditional versions, but cooking time must be adjusted.
If chile guaque or chile pasa is unavailable, seek a Guatemalan grocer rather than replacing both with very hot chilies.
Pack rice or tamalitos separately so they do not absorb the sauce during storage.
Serve with
Place one chicken piece and a mixture of vegetables in each shallow bowl, then ladle the velvety toasted sauce generously around them.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently, stirring from the bottom and adding broth if the sauce becomes too thick.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
- 590 kcal
- Calories
- 43 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 810 mg
- Sodium
Allergens
Contains sesame and wheat/gluten from the toasted bread. Use gluten-free toasted bread if required and check all dried spices for cross-contact.
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Questions
What thickens pepián?
Toasted sesame, pepitoria and bread give the sauce its characteristic body.
Is pepián very spicy?
It is more deeply roasted and aromatic than sharply hot. Removing the chile seeds keeps the heat moderate.
Can the sauce be blended without straining?
Yes, but straining gives it a smoother traditional presentation and removes tough chile skins.
Why does my sauce taste bitter?
One of the chilies, seeds or spices was probably burned. Toast over moderate heat and remove each ingredient as soon as fragrant.
