Guatemalan Chicken Stew (Pepián)
Served at home, in restaurants and street carts, this is one of the iconic dishes of Guatemala. Hearty with chicken, or sometimes beef or pork, vegetables and chilies, pepián is a blend of Mayan and Spanish cultures. Variations of this soup include pear, carrot and corn. Guatemalans often serve the soup with a side of rice and warm corn tortillas, sometimes including chilies and chili sauce, as well.
Ingredients 17
1.35 kg whole chicken, quartered
950 ml water
3 yellow onions, 1 quartered, 1 halved, 1 sliced
1 tbsp salt
2 dried guaque chilies (guajillo)
2 dried pasa chilies
55 g pepitas (pumpkin seeds), raw, plus extra to garnish
55 g sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish
40 g coriander seeds
1⁄2 tsp black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
4 roma tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp dried oregano
1⁄2 cinnamon stick, small
720 ml water
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 squash, peeled, cut into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes
450 g potatoes, combination of root vegetables, peeled, cut into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes
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Method 8
Place the in a large pot and add the or chicken stock. Add the with the and simmer very gently over a medium heat until the chicken pieces are cooked through, about 7–10 minutes for the breasts and 15–18 minutes for the legs and thighs. The meat should separate from the end of the leg bone when cooked, a thermometer will read 74°C (165°F) when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or breast and the juices of the chicken will run clear.
When the is cooked, remove from the pot and leave until cool enough to handle, then remove the chicken skin and discard. Using your hands, shred all the meat and discard the bones. Set the meat aside.
Meanwhile, roast the dried chilies in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2–4 minutes until fragrant. The chilies should be roasted and fragrant, not blackened. When roasted, place the chilies in a large bowl.
Roast the in the same pan over a medium–high heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden. Add to the bowl with the chilies and repeat with the , , and .
Char the and in the dry frying pan over a high heat for 3–5 minutes until blackened and soft, then add to the other ingredients.
Place all the toasted ingredients, together with the , and in a blender and process for 4–5 minutes until completely puréed. Set aside.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, then pour back into the pot with the sliced , , and and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.
Add the puréed ingredients and stir in the . Simmer gently for an additional 3–4 minutes. Season with and serve.
