Pinol de Rabinal is a Guatemalan stew of chicken or hen in a thick sauce of toasted, ground corn, achiote, and spices, typical of the municipality of Rabinal, Baja Verapaz.
It’s important to distinguish it from the powdered drink called “pinol” in other Central American countries: in Guatemala, pinol de Rabinal is a hearty stew with meat, not a drink.
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Guatemalan Toasted Corn Chicken Stew
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
- 1 kg of chicken or hen, in pieces (about 2.2 lb)
- 1/2 cup of white corn, toasted and ground
- 4 of tomatoes, roasted
- 1 of onion, roasted
- 3 cloves of garlic, roasted
- 1 tablespoon of achiote (annatto)
- 2 of guaque chiles, toasted and soaked
- to taste of salt
Instructions
- Cook the chicken, boil the chicken pieces in salted water until tender, reserving the broth.
- Toast and grind the corn, toast the white corn on a griddle until golden, and grind it into a fine powder.
- Make the sauce, blend the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, achiote, and soaked chiles with a little broth.
- Thicken, add the toasted, ground corn to the blended sauce and mix well.
- Cook the stew, pour the sauce into the pot with the chicken and broth, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until it thickens.
- Adjust seasoning, correct the salt to taste.
- Serve, serve hot, with white rice and tortillas.
Tips for getting it right
- The toasted, ground corn is what gives pinol de Rabinal its name and characteristic thick texture.
- Don’t confuse this dish with the powdered corn drinks called “pinol” in Costa Rica or Nicaragua; in Guatemala it’s a hearty stew.
- Toasting the corn well without burning it is key to this dish’s characteristic flavor.
- It’s a typical dish of the municipality of Rabinal, in the department of Baja Verapaz.
Traditional variations
- It’s a traditional dish of Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, recognized as part of the local culinary heritage.
- It can be made with chicken or hen, depending on preference.
How to serve
Pinol de Rabinal is served hot, in a deep bowl, with white rice and corn tortillas.
It’s a typical dish of Baja Verapaz, distinct from the drinks of the same name in other Central American countries.
Recommended sides
- White rice
- Corn tortillas
Did you know?
Unlike the pinol drink of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Guatemalan pinol de Rabinal is a hearty stew with meat, not a powdered drink.
The technique for making this dish is recognized as part of the region’s culinary cultural heritage.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a Guatemalan chicken stew in a thick sauce of toasted, ground corn, achiote, and spices, typical of Rabinal, Baja Verapaz.
No, Guatemalan pinol de Rabinal is a hearty stew with meat, while in other Central American countries "pinol" refers to a powdered corn drink.
The toasted, ground white corn, added to the sauce, is what gives the stew its characteristic thick texture.
It's a typical dish of the municipality of Rabinal, in the department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala.
