Guatemalan Chicken Pepián Rice Bowl

Name: Guatemalan Chicken Pepián Rice Bowl
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces; 3 whole dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 whole dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 cup (140 g) raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 1 lb (450 g) fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed, halved; ½ large (100 g) yellow onion, roughly chopped; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) cumin seeds, toasted; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black peppercorns; ½ ounce (14 g) unsweetened chocolate (or Mexican chocolate if available), chopped; 3 cups (720 ml) unsalted chicken stock; to taste salt; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil; 1½ cups (300 g) long-grain white rice; 2¾ cups (660 ml) water (for rice); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed (optional); ½ whole lime, cut into wedges (optional); 4 whole (100 g) radishes, thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Pepián, Guatemala's national dish, features tender chicken in a rich, nutty sauce made from roasted pumpkin seeds and dried chiles, finished with a hint of chocolate. This rice bowl version layers the sauce over fluffy white rice and fresh vegetables, creating a satisfying one-dish meal that showcases the complex flavors of Guatemalan cuisine.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 4 bowls

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 whole dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 whole dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 cup (140 g) raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 lb (450 g) fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed, halved
½ large (100 g) yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) cumin seeds, toasted
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black peppercorns
½ ounce (14 g) unsweetened chocolate (or Mexican chocolate if available), chopped
3 cups (720 ml) unsalted chicken stock
to taste salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
1½ cups (300 g) long-grain white rice
2¾ cups (660 ml) water (for rice)
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed (optional)
½ whole (0.5 whole) lime, cut into wedges (optional)
4 whole (100 g) radishes, thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5–6 quart)
Dry skillet
Blender or food processor
Medium saucepan with lid
Fine-mesh strainer
Wooden spoon

Steps

Before you start

Toast the dried chiles and pumpkin seeds to awaken their flavors—don't skip this step
Have all ingredients prepped and within reach; the sauce comes together quickly once cooking starts
Use chicken thighs rather than breasts for more flavorful, forgiving meat
If you can't find fresh tomatillos, canned unsweetened tomatillos work well

1
Toast chiles and seeds
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Add the stemmed guajillo and ancho chiles and toast for 30 seconds on each side, pressing gently with a wooden spoon—they should become fragrant but not blacken.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Add the pumpkin seeds to the same skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Listen for a few to pop.
- Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly.
- Tear the cooled chiles into large pieces.
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Ready when: Chiles fragrant and pliable; seeds golden and popped
Tip: Toasting brings out the chiles' depth—don't skip or rush this step
2
Prepare the sauce base
- Put the tomatillos (cut side down), onion, and garlic into a large pot.
- Cover with 2 cups (480 ml) of the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to medium and simmer for 10 minutes until tomatillos are very soft and starting to fall apart.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Tomatillos soft and beginning to break down
3
Blend pepián sauce
- Working in batches if needed, transfer the cooked tomatillos, onion, and garlic along with their cooking liquid to a blender.
- Add the toasted chiles, pumpkin seeds, cumin seeds, and black peppercorns.
- Blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Push the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor; discard any fibers.
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Ready when: Sauce is completely smooth and uniform in color
Tip: Straining gives a silky sauce; don't skip this for the best texture
4
Cook the rice
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2¾ cups (660 ml) of water to a boil.
- Stir in the rice and 0.5 teaspoon (3 g) of salt.
- Return to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 18 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork.
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Ready when: Rice is tender and grains are separate
Tip: Don't lift the lid during cooking—steam is essential for even cooking
5
Sauté chicken
- While the rice cooks, heat the oil in the large pot over medium-high heat.
- Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the chicken pieces and cook for 4–5 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally, until the surface is golden and no longer pink (they don't need to be cooked through).
- Transfer to a clean plate.
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Ready when: Chicken surface is golden and opaque
Tip: Don't overcrowd the pot—it lowers heat and creates steam instead of browning
6
Build the pepián
- Pour the blended pepián sauce back into the pot (no need to wipe it out).
- Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the browned chicken pieces and the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) of chicken stock.
- Stir in the chopped chocolate and ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
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Ready when: Sauce bubbles gently; chocolate is fully dissolved
Tip: Stir in the chocolate where the liquid is hottest so it melts evenly
7
Simmer the chicken
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender.
- The sauce should be slightly thickened and coat the back of a spoon.
- Add more stock (¼ cup/60 ml at a time) if the sauce becomes too thick, or continue simmering if it's too thin.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
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Ready when: Chicken is fork-tender; sauce coats the back of a spoon
Tip: Gentle simmering keeps the sauce smooth—hard boiling can cause it to break
8
Assemble bowls
- Divide the cooked rice among four bowls.
- Ladle the pepián chicken and sauce over the rice, making sure each bowl gets an equal share of meat and sauce.
- Scatter sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge on each bowl if desired.
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Tip: Serve immediately while the pepián is hot and the rice is fluffy

Good to know

Tips

Pepián is as much about technique as ingredients—the layering of toasted chiles, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate builds complexity. Rushing the toasting step will result in a flat-tasting sauce.
The sauce should have a velvety, slightly thick consistency that coats the chicken. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered for an extra 5 minutes; if too thick, stir in more hot stock gradually.
Guatemalan cooks often grind the pepián paste by hand on a traditional stone metate, but a blender produces excellent results. Straining the finished sauce is key to a silky texture.
For extra depth, toast the cumin seeds and peppercorns in the dry skillet along with the chiles and pumpkin seeds before grinding, rather than adding them raw to the blender.

Make ahead

The pepián sauce (through step 3) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, before proceeding with the chicken. The rice can be cooked up to 4 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water if it dries out.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pepián and chicken will thicken as it cools; reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of stock to loosen it if needed. Rice can be stored separately and reheated. Do not freeze—the sauce may separate upon thawing.

Substitutions

raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) → sesame seeds (use the same weight). Sesame lacks the earthy richness of pumpkin seeds but creates a lighter sauce; toast similarly before blending
dried guajillo chiles → dried New Mexico chiles. These are slightly spicier but offer a similar fruity, mild heat; use the same quantity
fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed → canned unsweetened tomatillos (drained and rinsed). Use 15 oz (425 g); reduce the simmering time in step 2 to 3 minutes since they're already cooked
boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use the same weight; reduce the final simmer time to 10–12 minutes to avoid drying them out