Jocon: Guatemala's Green Chicken Stew

Jocon is the dish you make when you want something bright and herbal against the cold highland air. In Huehuetenango, where it originated, the K’iche’ Maya call it jok om – literally, “green recado.” And the name tells you everything: this is a sauce built from five green things.

The five greens: miltomate (tomatillo), chile pimiento (green bell pepper), cebolla con tallo (green onion), cilantro, and sometimes chile jalapeño. Blended together with toasted pepitoria and sesame seeds, they create a sauce that is vivid green, nutty, and deeply herbaceous.

In 2007, jocon was declared Patrimonio Cultural Intangible alongside pepian and kak’ik – three dishes that represent the living culinary heritage of Guatemala.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 6 chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks have the best flavor)
• Water to cover
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt to taste

For the Green Recado

• 15 miltomates (tomatillos), husked and rinsed
• 2 green bell peppers (chile pimiento), seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro (about 2 packed cups)
• 6 green onions (cebolla con tallo), white and green parts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 60g (2 oz) pepitoria (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• 30g (1 oz) sesame seeds
• 2 stale corn tortillas, torn into pieces

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the chicken. Place chicken pieces in a large pot, cover with water. Add the bay leaf, 1 whole garlic clove, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and reserve at least 3 cups of the broth.

Step 2: Toast the seeds. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pepitoria seeds for 2-3 minutes until they puff and pop. Add the sesame seeds and toast until golden, about 2 more minutes. Tear the tortillas and toast the pieces in the same skillet until stiff and lightly browned. Let everything cool before blending.

Step 3: Cook the miltomates. Place the husked tomatillos in a saucepan of salted water. Boil for 8-10 minutes until soft and turning pale green. Drain and set aside.

Step 4: Blend the recado verde. In a blender, combine: the cooked miltomates, green bell peppers (raw), fresh cilantro, green onions, remaining garlic cloves, toasted seeds, toasted tortilla pieces, and 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth. Blend on high until completely smooth. The sauce should be a vibrant, vivid green.

Step 5: Strain. Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer into a clean pot. Use the back of a spoon to press through as much liquid as possible. Discard the fibrous solids.

Step 6: Simmer together. Bring the strained sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cooked chicken pieces. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the chicken. If the sauce gets too thick, add splashes of the reserved broth.

Step 7: Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The finished jocon should be bright green, slightly thick and creamy, with a fresh herbal flavor and a subtle nuttiness from the seeds. Serve hot with white rice and fresh corn tortillas.

Como Lo Hacemos en Guatemala (Local Tips)

Keep the herbs fresh. The cilantro and green onions go into the blender raw – do not cook them. This is what keeps the sauce bright green. If you cook the herbs first, the sauce turns brown and loses its character.

Cilantro criollo is different from regular cilantro. Guatemalan cilantro (cilantro criollo) has wider, flatter leaves and a more intense flavor. If you can find it at a Latin market, use it. Regular cilantro works, but you may want to add a few leaves of culantro (recao) for depth.

The tortilla is the thickener. Traditional jocon gets its body from a toasted tortilla ground into the sauce, not from flour or cornstarch. This is the authentic method and it gives the sauce a subtle corn flavor.

In Guatemala, some cooks add a jalapeño for heat. This is common in some families but not universal. If you want a kick, add one seeded jalapeño to the blender.

Find Ingredients in the US

Approximate Nutrition (per serving)

More Guatemalan recipes: Pepian (National Dish) | Kak’ik (Turkey Soup) | Hilachas (Shredded Beef)

Related: Guatemala Food Guide | Huehuetenango Department | Food Prices