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Home » Recipes » Entrees » Jocón de Pollo – Easy Guatemalan Chicken Stew

Jocón de Pollo – Easy Guatemalan Chicken Stew

Posted July 6, 2019, Updated March 4, 2021 //  by Michele Peterson 17 Comments

We may earn income from links in this post. Please read this Disclosure for details.

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Recipe for Jocon Guetemalteco a
Pollo en Jocon Recipe

Jocón (pronounced ho-CON) is one of the most popular traditional chicken dishes in Guatemala. Also known as chicken in salsa verde in Mexico, the  generous handfuls of cilantro, scallions, tomatillos and green jalapeno chiles really make this emerald green stew 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

 

Pollo en Jocon of Guatemala
Jocón is easy to make, delicious and low in fat!

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 stove top, 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.

Vegetables in Mercado Central in Antigua
Fresh produce for sale in the mercado central of Antigua, Guatemala

While not quite as famous  as other recados such as pepián  de pollo,  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 – Easy 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.

Ingredients for Jocon Guatemalateco
Ingredients for Jocon Guatemalateco

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 and Freezer Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa  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.

Tomatillos known as miltomate in Guatemala
Tomatillos are known as miltomate in Guatemala and Mexico

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.

Chicken cooking in a pot
Chicken cooking in a pot for jocon

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.

Toast pepitoria and sesame seeds
Toast the pepitas ( pumpkin) and sesame seeds in a dry skillet until browned

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. 

grinding pepitoria and seeds for jocon
Grind the pepitoria and seeds finely

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.

Chicken in Salsa Verde
Process the ingredients with one cup of reserved broth to make a recado for jocon

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.

Pot of Jocon Guatemalteco
Simmer the chicken in the jocon sauce until thickened

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

Pollo en Jocon Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew
Pollo en jocon is a popular traditional Guatemalan dish

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.
Chicken in green tomatillo salsa
Serve jocon with tortillas, white rice and avocado

You Might Also Enjoy these Easy Guatemalan Food Recipes: 

  • 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 
  • Salpicon de Pollo – Chicken Salad Tostadas  
Jocon de Pollo Guatemalan food h
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5 from 16 votes

Jocón - Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew

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.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Main
Cuisine: Guatemalan
Keyword: authentic, chicken and tomatillo stew, chicken in salsa verde, easy dinner, jocon, miltomate, pollo en jocon
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 605kcal
Author: Michele Peterson
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • food processor
  • large cooking pot

Ingredients

  • 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
  • 1/4 cup mint fresh, chopped (hierbabuena variety of mint)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • 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, mint, scallions and chile pepper 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.

Notes

  • 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.
  • If you can't find hierbabuena mint and are using spearmint, cut the quantity of  mint in half or omit it.  
Please note: Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed to be accurate. It is created by online calculators and, although we attempt to provide accurate nutritional information, the figures are only estimates. 

Nutrition

Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 763mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 935IU | Vitamin C: 20.3mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 4.7mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @ATasteForTravel or tag #ATasteForTravel!

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Recipe for Jocon Guetemalteco a

Pollo en Jocon Recipe

Category: Entrees, Guatemalan Recipes

About Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paula Montenegro

    July 6, 2019 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    Love everything about this recipe! The toasted seeds, tomatillos and the fact that it’s a stew. Even better the next day.

    Reply
  2. Caitlyn Erhardt

    July 6, 2019 at 5:07 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like such a bright and flavorful stew! Def going to try this soon!

    Reply
  3. Jen

    July 6, 2019 at 5:10 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      July 7, 2019 at 8:41 am

      I hope you all enjoy it, Jen! It is super popular with kids

  4. Cookilicious

    July 6, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    So hearty and delicious! Love it

    Reply
  5. Patrice

    April 27, 2020 at 1:23 am

    5 stars
    I’ve never tried Jocón de Pollo before but this looks delicious with the cilantro and tomatillos. Love the beautiful photography too!

    Reply
  6. Fran

    April 27, 2020 at 11:18 am

    5 stars
    The pictures of this recipe look beautiful! I never tried tomatillo stew, but I’m definitely going to try this!

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      April 27, 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Tomatillos are really easy to grow and so versatile. Worth giving them a try!

  7. Andréa Janssen

    April 27, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    5 stars
    All these flavors combined in a stew with chicken. It just sounds so delicious. And I love the fact that it’s a traditional dish. Most of the times these are the best!

    Reply
  8. Emily Flint

    April 27, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, this looks incredible and I love the combination of all the fresh flavors. I’ve never seen this dish before but I’m so glad you shared it! I’m always looking for new ways to serve chicken.

    Reply
  9. Sula

    April 27, 2020 at 1:35 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, this looks amazing. I can’t wait to give it a try!

    Reply
  10. Christie

    April 27, 2020 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    I’m always looking for new international recipes to try. This looks fantastic!

    Reply
  11. Amy Chung

    April 27, 2020 at 8:17 pm

    5 stars
    This was super yum! Love the pepitas in it!

    Reply
  12. Jess

    April 28, 2020 at 12:34 am

    I have a lot of the ingredients in my garden for this recipe. Love it!

    Reply
  13. Chef Dennis

    April 28, 2020 at 3:29 am

    5 stars
    Yum! I must have this Jocón de Pollo for dinner tonight! Looks really scrumptious and satisfying!

    Reply
  14. James Lee

    September 3, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    Hi There. I noticed on the ingredient list it has fresh mint, but that is nowhere in the instructions. Is that just supposed to be added to the food processor with all the other stuff? Is it meant for a garnish? Mint is a strong flavor and it seemed like a weird choice with these flavors so wanted to be sure.

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      September 3, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      Thanks for the question, Jame! Hierbabuena ( or mint) is typical in jocon but the taste of the herb is quite a bit different outside of Latin America. It’s more herbaceous than the spearmint and peppermint menthol flavours of the mint in most supermarkets in Canada and the US.I recommend cutting the amount in half or omitting it if the only mint you’re able to get is sweetish. Using cilantro alone will be enough to give the jocon its characteristic fresh flavour and colour. If you do add mint, it goes in along with the cilantro (I updated the recipe card to clarify) I hope you enjoy the dish!

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About A Taste for Travel

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico, publisher Michele Peterson’s award-winning work has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source , National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and  100+ other publications. 

At A Taste for Travel — along with a team of expert travel writers and photographers — she  helps readers plan vacations and make delicious global recipes at home. 

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