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Jocón (pronounced HO-con) is one of the most popular traditional stews of Guatemala. The generous handfuls of cilantro, scallions, tomatillos and green jalapeno chiles really make this emerald green dish shine.
Pollo en Jocón also known as Jocón de Pollo is one of the easiest Guatemalan food recipes to make. It’s so economical it’s perfect as an everyday dinner yet special enough to be a guaranteed crowd pleaser when entertaining.
History of Jocón de Pollo – Chicken and Tomatillo Stew
Jocón (also known as Pollo en Jocón) is a recado, a style of meal that’s one of the foundations of traditional Guatemalan Mayan cuisine. A recado is typically a thick stew made with a sauce. It’s often cooked over an open fire in an outdoor stove in the highlands of Guatemala. While the smokiness of the fire does add a special taste to Guatemalan dishes, most urban cooks prepare their stews and soups (caldos) on a stove top.
No matter whether they’re prepared over an open fire or a stovetop, Guatemala’s traditional soups and stews take full advantage of the fabulous fresh ingredients found in the country’s outdoor markets. Vendors deliver seasonal vegetables, fruit and herbs grown in the fertile valleys fresh to the markets each day.
While not quite as famous as other recados such as pepian, kak’ik, revolcado or even pulique, pollo en jocón is a unique dish that’s a welcome change from the mostly tomato and achiote based sauces of other Guatemalan chicken recipes. It’s also low in fat and gluten- free.
There are countless variations and versions of recipes for Jocón Guatemalteco. This version is my favourite and is the one my sister-in-law in Guatemala City makes most often. According to Copeland Marks in his cookbook “False Tongues and Sunday Breads” this variation of jocón hails from Huehuetenango, home to the highland Mam Mayan community, known for their fine weavings in magenta and violet hues.
Ingredients for Jocón Guatemalteco – Chicken Verde Stew
This recipe for jocón is similar to Chicken in Salsa Verde a popular dish in Mexico. But it has a nutty depth of flavour drawn from toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. Those two magical ingredients make jocón a deliciously memorable Guatemalan dish.
The other main ingredient in jocón is tomatillo, also known as miltomate or a husk tomato in Mexico, Guatemala and the rest of Latin America.
Can you eat tomatillos raw? Tomatillos are most often seen in salsa verdes such as our recipe for Salsa Verde by the Mexykan but are almost always served cooked, or, at minimum charred, as they are too acidic and tart to be eaten raw. Wash them before using to get rid of the sticky covering beneath the papery husk.
Note: Be sure to remove the papery husks (or lanterns) of the tomatillo before cooking as they are toxic.
If you can’t find fresh tomatillos in your grocery store, canned tomatillos are a good substitute. La Costeña is a popular brand of Mexican canned products and is even available for purchase via Amazon online. If you use canned tomatillos, drain them and reduce the amount of salt in the recipe as salt has already been added. You can use them straight from the can without cooking as they have already been simmered.
If you want to make sure you always have a supply of tomatillos on hand, consider planting some seeds in a container or your home garden. They are very easy to grow and are prolific, with each plant producing lots of tomatillos quite early in the growing season. You can even order tomatillo seeds online.
How to Make Pollo en Jocón – Step by Step Instructions
This easy Guatemalan recipe follows the usual method for a recado which involves simmering the meat and then adding a sauce. It’s so much easier and healthier than many other chicken recipes where you need to brown the chicken in a frying pan first. This Guatemalan recipe has no vegetable oil at all!
Step 1. Cook the Chicken in Water
Begin by poaching the chicken in water with salt until it is fully cooked and tender. Bring chicken, water and salt to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a bowl and strain and set aside the broth.
Step 2. Toast the Seeds in a Skillet
Heat a dry skillet or on a comal (a flat clay or cast iron cooking griddle) over medium flame. Add the pepitas (pumpkin) seeds and sesame seeds.
Pepitas are slightly plumper than the shelled pumpkin seeds eaten as a snack in North America (and they also have more flavour) but you can use substitute pumpkin seeds for pepita in this recipe.
Toast the seeds and continue stirring until lightly browned.
Step 3. Grind the Seeds into a Fine Powder
Then, grind the seeds to a fine powder. Use a coffee grinder if you don’t have a spice grinder if your food processor or blender won’t process it finely. The finished seed mixture is known as pepitoria.
Step 4. Prepare the Tomatillos
Simmer the peeled and washed fresh tomatillos in water for 20 minutes until tender. If you’re using canned tomatillos you can skip ahead to the next step.
Step 5. Process the Tomatillos, Seeds and Herbs into a Sauce
Add the seed mixture, corn tortillas ripped into pieces, cooked or canned tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and chile peppers to a food processor. Add 1 cup of the reserved broth and process until smooth.
Step 6. Combine the Green Sauce with Cooked Chicken and Simmer
Return the reserved chicken to the pot. Pour the pureed sauce over the chicken and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the remaining broth to give it a sauce-like consistency.
Simmer the chicken in the sauce for an additional 20 minutes or until thickened. You can add vegetables such as fresh green beans or quartered huisquil (chayote) if you like. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
How to Serve Pollo en Jocón – Guatemalan Chicken Tomatillo Stew
Garnish the jocón with slivers of green onion or a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds. Then serve it with avocado wedges and spoonfuls of fluffy white rice.
Another option for serving jocón is to shred the chicken meat once it’s cooked, tuck it inside a tortilla, roll it and bake it smothered with the jocón sauce like an enchilada. To shred chicken or beef (for salpicon de res – another famous Guatemalan dish), cook until tender and then separate it into strands using two forks.
Tips for Making Jocón
- The key to making sure jocón keeps its bright green colour is not to overcook the sauce.
- Using fresh tomatillos will make the dish a brighter green than if you use canned tomatillos.
- Add more jalapeno or serrano hot chiles to taste. But note that the traditional Guatemalan recipe for jocón makes a very mildly spicy dish.
- Be sure to process the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds until very fine. A coffee or spice grinder works well for this.
- Properly stored, this chicken and tomatillo stew will last for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Tomatillos contain a natural pectin which means jocón will thicken as it cools.
You Might Also Enjoy these Easy Guatemalan Food Recipes:
If you enjoyed this recipe for pollo jocón, check out these easy Guatemalan recipes filled with the flavours of Latin America:
- Salsa Verde (Green Tomatillo Sauce) from The Mexykan, Mexico
- Salpicon (shredded beef and radish) salad appetizer from Guatemala
- Tapado: A Coconut Seafood Soup from the Garifuna Coast of Honduras and Guatemala
- Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing inspired by Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
- Easy Guatemalan Guacamole
One of Guatemala's most famous dishes, jocón or pollo en jocón is a traditional stew of chicken and tomatillos that's very easy to make.
- 3 pounds chicken pieces whole chicken cut into serving pieces
- 4 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds known as pepitas in Latin America shelled
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 2 whole corn tortillas fresh, soaked in water and torn in pieces
- 2 cups tomatillos hulled or substitute 16 ounces canned tomatillos (drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1/2 cup scallions fresh, chopped. Scallions are the green part of the stalk of a green onion
- 1/2 cup mint fresh, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
Bring chicken, water or broth, and salt to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming the foam from the surface while cooking.
Remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl. Strain the broth and reserve the liquid, discarding any solids.
Bring a dry cast iron skillet or comal to a high temperature. Add the pumpkin seeds and then sesame seeds toasting them until brown.
Grind the seeds in a spice or coffee grinder or in a blender/food processor until very fine.
Add the pepitoria (ground seeds), tomatillos, soaked and shredded corn tortillas, cilantro, scallions and chile to a food processor. Add one cup of water and process until silky smooth.
return the chicken to the cooking pot. Pour the green sauce over the chicken and add remaining 3 cups of water, stirring to mix well.
Simmer for 20 more minutes. Adjust seasoning and then serve.
- The key to making sure jocón keeps its bright green colour is not to overcook the sauce.
- Using fresh tomatillos will make the dish a brighter green than if you use canned tomatillos.
- Add more jalapeno or serrano hot chiles to taste. But note that the traditional Guatemalan recipe for jocón makes a very mildly spicy dish.
- Be sure to process the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds until very fine. A coffee or spice grinder works well for this.
- Properly stored, this chicken and tomatillo stew will last for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Nutritional information is an estimate only.
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Complete Guide to Panajachel, Guatemala
Love everything about this recipe! The toasted seeds, tomatillos and the fact that it’s a stew. Even better the next day.
This looks like such a bright and flavorful stew! Def going to try this soon!
Thank you for introducing this amazing dish to my family! It offers so much flavor and such a nice change from our normal chicken routine. Loved it!
I hope you all enjoy it, Jen! It is super popular with kids
So hearty and delicious! Love it