Guatemalan Jocón Stew

Jocón is a chicken stew in a green sauce made from tomatillos, cilantro, and squash seeds, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2007.

Its characteristic green color and fresh flavor set it apart from other Guatemalan stews, making it one of the most beloved dishes in the country’s traditional cuisine.

Guatemalan Jocón Stew

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• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Guatemalan

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 1 kg of chicken, in pieces (about 2.2 lb)
• 10 of tomatillos (miltomate)
• 1 cup of fresh cilantro
• 3 of bell or güero peppers, seeded
• 1 of onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of pepitoria (squash seeds), toasted
• 1 sprig of scallion
• to taste of salt

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Instructions

1. Cook the chicken, boil the chicken pieces in salted water until tender, reserving the broth.
2. Cook the vegetables, boil the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers in a little water until soft.
3. Toast the pepitoria, toast the squash seeds on a griddle until lightly browned.
4. Blend the sauce, blend the cooked vegetables, cilantro, scallion, and toasted pepitoria with a little broth until you get a smooth green sauce.
5. Cook the stew, pour the blended sauce into the pot with the chicken and broth, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until it thickens slightly.
6. Adjust seasoning, correct the salt and let cook a few more minutes to blend the flavors.
7. Serve, serve hot, with white rice and tortillas.

Tips for getting it right

• Tomatillos (miltomate) are what give jocón its characteristic green color; they shouldn’t be substituted with regular red tomatoes.
• Toasting the pepitoria before blending helps thicken the sauce and adds a deeper flavor.
• Fresh cilantro is key to this stew’s characteristic aroma; it’s recommended to add it generously.
• Jocón can be made with chicken or pork, depending on preference.

Traditional variations

• Jocón has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Guatemalan Nation since 2007.
• Some families adjust the amount of pepper to make the sauce spicier or milder.

How to serve

Jocón is served hot, in a deep bowl, with white rice and corn tortillas.

It’s one of the most beloved and representative stews of traditional Guatemalan cuisine.

Recommended sides

• White rice
• Corn tortillas

Did you know?

Jocón was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation through Ministerial Agreement 801-2007.

Its characteristic green color comes solely from natural ingredients: tomatillos, fresh cilantro, and scallion, with no added coloring.