🏠 Home > 🗺️ Recipes > 🍝 Main Dishes > 🇬🇹 Guatemala Main Dishes > 🍝 1.Pepián de Pollo (Traditional Guatemalan Chicken Stew) , 2.Jocon de Pollo (Green Herb Chicken Stew) , 3.Hilachas (Guatemalan Shredded Beef in Tomato Sauce)
🍝 Authentic Guatemalan Main Dishes You Can Cook at Home
Guatemalan cuisine is comforting, soulful, and full of history. But what makes it truly amazing is how accessible it becomes once you understand the ingredients and flavors. Even if you’ve never tried cooking Guatemalan food before, the dishes are surprisingly doable — especially when broken down step-by-step in a friendly way.
In this long-form guide, you’ll explore three of Guatemala’s most loved everyday main dishes, each one adapted for home cooks while staying true to its cultural roots. No complicated equipment. No restaurant-level techniques. Just real food, real flavor, and real fun in the kitchen.
Whether you’re exploring global cuisines, planning a themed dinner, or adding new recipes to your weekly meals, these Guatemalan dishes will bring warm, comforting flavors to your table.
🇬🇹✨ Introduction: Discovering Guatemalan Home-Style Cooking
Guatemalan food has been rising in global popularity because of its homestyle charm. It’s hearty without being heavy, flavorful without being difficult, and deeply connected to family traditions. What you see in Guatemalan kitchens today often comes from generations of Mayan, Spanish, and regional influences — all blending into dishes that feel both familiar and exciting.
In this guide, you'll find three must-try Guatemalan main dish recipes that represent the soul of everyday cooking:
🥇 • Recipe 1: Pepián de Pollo – a rich, comforting chicken stew known as one of the oldest dishes in the country
🥈 • Recipe 2: Jocon de Pollo – a bright green chicken dish full of herbs and warm flavors
🥉 • Recipe 3: Hilachas – a shredded beef dish simmered in a tomato-based sauce
Each recipe includes:
• A friendly intro
• Ingredients with simple measurements
• Step-by-step cooking instructions
• Helpful tips and mistakes to avoid
• A small FAQ
• A final summary
Let’s start cooking!
🍲🇬🇹 Recipe 1: Pepián de Pollo (Traditional Guatemalan Chicken Stew)
🥘 About This Recipe
Pepián de Pollo is one of Guatemala’s most iconic dishes — often considered the country's oldest traditional stew. It’s thick, earthy, aromatic, and deeply comforting. The magic comes from toasting ingredients like seeds, chiles, and vegetables before blending them into a bold, rich sauce.
This dish feels like a warm hug. It’s perfect for family dinners, gatherings, or any day you want deep flavor without overly complicated steps.
🧂 Ingredients & Measurements
• 1 whole chicken (cut into 6–8 pieces)
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• 1 onion (cut in half)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatillos
• 2 dried guajillo peppers
• 1 dried ancho pepper
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 small carrots (peeled and sliced)
• 1 chayote squash (optional, diced)
• 2 small potatoes (diced)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1–2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
🍛 Step-by-Step Instructions
1.Prepare the chicken
• Add chicken pieces to a pot with salt, bay leaves, and chicken broth.
• Simmer until cooked through (about 25–30 minutes).
2.Toast the ingredients
• In a pan, dry-toast sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds until golden.
• Toast tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic until lightly charred.
• Toast dried peppers until fragrant (be careful not to burn them).
3.Blend the sauce
• Add all toasted ingredients to a blender.
• Add oregano, cumin, and a ladle of chicken broth.
• Blend until smooth and thick.
4.Simmer everything together
• Pour the sauce into the pot with the chicken.
• Add potatoes and carrots.
• Simmer for 25–30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
5.Adjust seasoning
• Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
💡 Tips & Mistakes to Avoid
Tips:
• Toast ingredients slowly for deeper flavor.
• Add broth little by little to adjust sauce thickness.
Common Mistakes:
• Burning seeds — leads to bitterness.
• Rushing the simmering stage — this stew needs time for flavors to deepen.
❓ FAQ
Q1: Can I use chicken thighs only?
Yes, they add even more flavor and tenderness.
Q2: Can I skip chayote?
Absolutely — it’s optional and can be replaced with more carrots or potatoes.
Q3: What should the sauce texture be like?
Thick, rich, and slightly gritty from the seeds.
📝 Summary
Pepián de Pollo is earthy, bold, and packed with toasted flavors. It’s a cozy dish perfect for evenings when you crave something hearty and meaningful.
🌿🍗 Recipe 2: Jocon de Pollo (Green Herb Chicken Stew)
🌱 About This Recipe
Jocon is Guatemala’s vibrant, green chicken dish made with tomatillos, cilantro, green onions, and herbs. It’s bright, fragrant, and soothing — a perfect contrast to the deeper flavors of Pepián.
The sauce is smooth and fresh, making it ideal for anyone who loves herb-forward dishes. It’s also one of the easiest Guatemalan dishes to prepare.
🧄 Ingredients & Measurements
• 4 chicken thighs or drumsticks
• 4 tomatillos (husks removed)
• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 3 cups fresh cilantro
• 1 cup fresh parsley (optional)
• 1 jalapeño or green chile (seeded)
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
1.Cook the chicken
• Simmer chicken with salt and chicken broth until tender.
2.Prepare vegetables
• In another pot, cook tomatillos, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño until soft.
3.Blend herbs and vegetables
• Add cooked vegetables, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and cumin to a blender.
• Pour in some broth and blend until vibrant green.
4.Combine sauce and chicken
• Pour the green sauce into the chicken pot.
• Simmer for 10–15 minutes to deepen flavor.
5.Adjust seasoning
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
💡 H3: Tips & Mistakes to Avoid
Tips:
• Add extra cilantro for stronger herbal flavor.
• Use bone-in chicken for better broth.
Common Mistakes:
• Overcooking tomatillos — they should be soft, not mushy.
• Blending too long — sauce may turn dull instead of bright green.
❓ FAQ
Q1: Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, but bone-in pieces make a richer sauce.
Q2: Is cilantro required?
Yes, it’s the main flavor of Jocon.
Q3: Can I make it vegetarian?
Absolutely — replace chicken with potatoes, squash, or mushrooms.
📝 Summary
Jocon is a vibrant, herby, green Guatemalan stew perfect for light yet satisfying meals. Fresh, aromatic, and deeply comforting.
🥩🍅 Recipe 3: Hilachas (Guatemalan Shredded Beef in Tomato Sauce)
🍛 About This Recipe
Hilachas is Guatemala’s answer to shredded beef comfort food. Tender beef is simmered until it falls apart, then cooked in a tomato-based sauce with vegetables and warm spices.
This dish is perfect for meal prep, family dinners, or slow weekends. It feels familiar yet uniquely Guatemalan.
🧂 Ingredients & Measurements
• 1.5 lbs beef flank or skirt (cut into large pieces)
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 small potatoes (diced)
• 1 carrot (sliced)
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups beef broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
🔥 Step-by-Step Instructions
1.Cook the beef
• Simmer beef in broth with bay leaf and salt until fork-tender.
2.Shred the beef
• Remove beef and shred using two forks.
• Set aside.
3.Make the tomato sauce
• Blend tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin until smooth.
4.Return beef to pot
• Add shredded beef back into the pot.
• Pour in the tomato sauce.
• Add carrots and potatoes.
5.Simmer until thickened
• Cook on low heat for 20–25 minutes.
• Adjust seasoning.
💡 H3: Tips & Mistakes to Avoid
Tips:
• Cook beef slowly for the best tenderness.
• Add squash or green beans for extra vegetables.
Common Mistakes:
• Rushing the beef — if it’s not falling apart, it’s not done.
• Adding too much broth — Hilachas should be saucy, not watery.
❓ FAQ
Q1: Can I use a pressure cooker?
Yes — it saves time and still gives tender meat.
Q2: Can I freeze this dish?
Definitely. Hilachas reheats beautifully.
Q3: What’s the ideal texture?
Shredded beef in a medium-thick tomato sauce.
📝 Summary
Hilachas is warm, tender, hearty, and perfect for fans of shredded beef dishes. It’s flavorful without being complicated, making it great for everyday meals.
🌟🇬🇹 Final Thoughts
Making Guatemalan dishes at home is much easier than most people expect. With just a few basic techniques — toasting, simmering, blending — you can create meals that feel comforting, authentic, and deeply flavorful.
Feel free to try one recipe at a time, or cook all three across a week to explore the variety of Guatemalan home cooking. And if you enjoy these dishes, share your experience, photos, or personal tweaks — cooking is always more fun when shared!
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