Jocón — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender chicken braised in a vibrant green sauce of tomatillos, cilantro, pepitas, and green chiles, a signature dish from Guatemala's western highlands.

Ingredients

1kg chicken pieces (thighs and legs)
8 tomatillos, husked
1 large bunch cilantro
1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 green onions
2 serrano or jalapeño chiles
1 green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
6 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

1 Simmer chicken in broth 30 min until cooked through. Reserve broth and chicken separately.
2 Toast pepitas on a dry comal until puffed and golden. Set aside.
3 Roast tomatillos, chiles, garlic, and green bell pepper on the comal until charred.
4 Blend roasted vegetables, toasted pepitas, cilantro, and green onions with 1 cup broth until very smooth.
5 Pour green sauce into a pot, add 2 cups broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook 15 min.
6 Add chicken pieces to the sauce, simmer 10 min more. Season with salt and pepper.

Did You Know?

Jocón gets its distinctive green color entirely from fresh herbs and tomatillos, never from food coloring, and every family argues about the correct shade of green.