Billie's Kitchen

A rich and comforting dish that captures the spirit of Guatemalan cooking.

Guatemalan cuisine is deeply rooted in the traditions of the ancient Maya, with centuries of history woven into its bold and comforting flavours. For this recipe, I made pepián de pollo, a rich, aromatic stew combining roasted spices, vegetables, seeds and chicken into a wonderfully complex sauce. It was unlike any stew I had made before, with unexpected flavours that came together beautifully — and the whole dish was as enjoyable to make as it was to eat.

What has shaped Guatemalan Cuisine?

Guatemalan cuisine is rooted in the traditions of the ancient Maya, whose civilisation cultivated maize, beans, squash, chillies, and cacao thousands of years ago. The arrival of the Spanish in the sixteenth century brought epidemics and profound social and cultural upheaval, while European ingredients such as rice, wheat, livestock, and new herbs were gradually incorporated into existing culinary traditions. Over time, Indigenous and European ingredients and techniques combined to shape the cuisine enjoyed today.

Rich stews, fresh tortillas, and vibrant salsas remain central to Guatemalan food, reflecting a culture where family meals and local ingredients continue to play an essential role.

What is Pepián de Pollo?

Pepián is considered one of Guatemala’s oldest and most celebrated dishes, with Kaqchikel Maya roots. It is a rich recado made by roasting and grinding ingredients such as tomatoes, chillies, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and spices, before combining them with meat to create its distinctive smoky, complex sauce.

Over time, Spanish colonial influence introduced ingredients such as chicken, while Indigenous ingredients and techniques remained at the heart of the dish, creating the version of pepián known today.

Pepián is often served at family gatherings and celebrations, making it both a comforting everyday meal and an important symbol of Guatemalan heritage.

My experience with Pepián de Pollo

This dish was unlike any stew I had made before. The combination of spices created a unique depth of flavour that I wasn’t expecting, while the tortillas blending into the sauce added an unexpected richness and texture. It was also incredibly fun to make, and the aromas while cooking were amazing. Everything came together beautifully, with each element complementing the others perfectly.

I struggled to find the specific chillis used in this recipe (chile pasa and chile guaque), so I just subsituted with chillis I found in my local supermarket. I similarly couldn’t find dried achiote, so I used some spices I had in my house instead.

Guatemalan Pepián de Pollo

Recipe by Billie Delpino

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: GuatemalanDifficulty: ★★★☆☆

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

A rich Guatemalan chicken stew, packed with toasted spices, tomatoes and smoky depth.

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken thighs (skinless and boneless)

• 300 ml water

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 large tomatoes

• 2 red chillis (de-seeded)

• 1/2 onion

• 30 g sesame seeds

• 30 g pumpkin seeds

• 1/2 cinnamon stick

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp tumeric

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1/8 tsp cumin

• 1 corn tortilla

• Small bunch of coriander

• 200 g green beans or mange tout

Directions

• Heat up the water in a pan and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken thighs and cook in the water for around 20 – 25 minutes. Then remove the chicken and save the water for the sauce.
• Dry toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon stick in a dry frying pan until browned. Make sure to move them around the pan regularly to ensure they don’t burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, dry toast the tortilla until crispy, then remove from the pan and coat in a few tbsp of water.
• In the same pan, char the tomatoes, chillis and onion dry until they are brown, and the skin is coming off the tomato.
• Process the toasted spices in a food processor until powdery. Add the tomatoes, onion, chilli, dry spices, coriander, and salt and process until smooth.
• Add the toasted tortilla and the chicken broth and process until smooth.
• Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Add the chicken and green beans/mange tout and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve with rice or corn tortillas and chopped avocado!