Pollo en Jocón (Tomatillo Chicken Stew) Recipe From Guatemala (2024)

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This easy and healthy recipe for Pollo en Jocón, tomatillo, and cilantro chicken stew, is a traditional dish from Guatemala. Delicious and easy to make it’s the perfect cold-weather comfort food.

During the holidays one of the things I miss the most from back home, besides my family and friends, is the food. Christmas in Guatemala is all about making delicious stews, tamales, and ponche. So this year I wanted to try out one of my favorite chicken stews: Pollo en Jocón. This dish is traditional to Guatemala and consists of chicken stew in a sauce made with tomatillos and cilantro and thickened with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and tortilla.

My kids love trying new foods from their home country since we rarely get a chance to eat Guatemalan food here in the US unless we cook it. One of the things I love about Pollo en Jocón, besides its fresh and tangy flavor, is that it’s very healthy and easy to make. And now that the weather is getting cooler, can’t believe we’re in the ’40s this weekend in Florida, Pollo en Jocón is the perfect comfort food.

Recipe for Pollo en Jocón from Guatemala

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound of fresh tomatillos, husked (8-10) or 1 11­oz can of tomatillos, drained
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large green peppers, seeds, and ribs removed and roughly chopped
• 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

• In a dry non-stick pan over medium toast pumpkin seeds, moving constantly for 3­5 minutes.
• Add the sesame seeds and continue tossing for 2 more minutes until they are very lightly browned.
• Remove from heat immediately so they don’t continue browning.
• Put toasted pumpkin seeds and toasted sesame seeds into a blender and pulse on “puree” for 5 or 10 seconds, until they are ground. (You may need to stir a bit between pulses) Scrape into a small bowl or cup, and set aside. (no need to wash blender ­ you will use it again soon)

• Place chicken and fresh tomatillos in a large pot with 5 -6 cups of PUR filtered water
  (enough to just cover). Add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
• Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large sauté pan. Sauté the garlic, green pepper, and onion stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown and the green peppers are softened. Remove from heat.
• With a slotted spoon remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
• Remove tomatillos from the broth and transfer them to the blender.
• Add cilantro, 1 1/2 cup of the strained chicken broth to and green pepper and onion mixture to the blender. Puree for about 20 seconds until smooth.
• Pour the sauce into a pot and add ground seeds to the pot and 2 more cups of the broth. (Remaining broth will not be needed but you might want to use it to make rice to accompany the stew)
• Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones and shred (pull chicken apart using two forks. Refer to photo in BBQ Chicken Enchiladas).
• Add shredded chicken to the thickened sauce along with salt and fresh pepper, to taste. Simmer gently for an additional 10 minutes.

Other Traditional Guatemalan Recipes

Have you ever tried Guatemalan cuisine? It’s a delightful combination of Mayan and Spanish flavors, resulting in a one-of-a-kind taste experience. From the scrumptious tamales Colorados to the comforting Pepian stew, your taste buds are in for a real treat. Trust me, once you try it, you won’t be able to resist whipping up some of these recipes at home. So, let’s get our aprons on and get cooking!

Traditional Guatemalan Enchiladas or Jardineras:

A traditional Guatemalan dish, it is a fairly easy Guatemalan recipe. Made with a toasted tortilla topped with a vegetable mixture or escabeche, ground beef, and tomato sauce, it is one of my favorite authentic Guatemalan foods.

Guatemalan Tapado Recipe:

A taste of the Caribbean and Garifuna flavor, Guatemala’s Tapado seafood soup is a legacy of history and an explosion of flavor. It’s the brilliant and harmonious mixture of luscious seafood cooked in savory coconut broth.

Gallina En Pepian Dulce:

Hen in Pepián dulce is a sweet and savory dish with a unique blend of Guatemalan and Spanish flavors. It features tender chicken stewed with roasted seeds and spices served with a rich chocolate sauce.

Guatemalan Chiles Rellenos Recipe:

This traditional Guatemalan recipe is somewhat different from the Mexican Chiles Rellenos. It is sweet peppers filled with a concoction of beef and veggies, and a drizzle of tomato sauce.

Pollo En Jocón (Tomatillo Chicken Stew):

This easy and healthy recipe for Pollo en Jocón, tomatillo and cilantro chicken stew, is a traditional dish from Guatemala. Delicious and easy to make, it’s the perfect cold-weather comfort food.

Guatemalan Rellenitos:

Rellenitos are made with ripe plantains, filled with beans, and covered in sugar. Although the combination might seem strange, this sweet plantain recipe is one of the mostdelicious Guatemalan foods.

Guatemalan Buñuelos:

Buñuelos are fried wheat-based dough balls, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, covered in white sugar, and served in a light syrup with a hint of anise.

easy and healthy recipe for Pollo en Jocón, tomatillo and cilantro chicken stew

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound of fresh tomatillos, husked (8-10) or 1 11­oz cans of tomatillos, drained
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large green peppers, seeds and ribs removed and roughly chopped
• 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a dry non-stick pan over medium toast pumpkin seeds, moving constantly for 3­5 minutes.
2. Add the sesame seeds and continue tossing for 2 more minutes until they are very lightly browned.
3. Remove from heat immediately so they don’t continue browning.
4. Put toasted pumpkin seeds and toasted sesame seeds into a blender and pulse on “puree” for 5 or 10 seconds, until they are ground. (You may need to stir a bit between pulses) Scrape into a small bowl or cup, and set aside. (no need to wash blender ­ you will use it again soon)
5. Place chicken and fresh tomatillos in a large pot with 5 -6 cups of PUR filtered water(enough to just cover). Add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
6. Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large sauté pan. Sauté the garlic, green pepper and onion stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown and the green peppers are softened. Remove from heat.
7. With a slotted spoon remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
8. Remove tomatillos from the broth and transfer to the blender.
9. Add cilantro, 1 1/2 cup of the strained chicken broth to and green pepper and onion mixture to the blender. Puree for about 20 seconds until smooth.
10. Pour the sauce into a pot and add ground seeds to the pot and 2 more cups of the broth. (Remaining broth will not be needed but you might want to use it to make rice to accompany the stew)
11. Bring contents of pot to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones and shred (pull chicken apart using two forks. Refer to photo in BBQ Chicken Enchiladas).
12. Add shredded chicken to the thickened sauce along with salt and fresh pepper, to taste. Simmer gently for an additional 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1 portion
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 220

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