Margarita's International Recipes

Guatemala

Pollo en Jocón

Jocon Chicken


Meats cooked in jocón, a green sauce based on tomatillos, green peppers and onions, is a specialty of the western part of Guatemala. Though this version is made with chicken thighs, you can use other chicken parts or even pork or beef. With chicken, it's eminently healthy. Even the little oil that I used when I made it is not required, if you cook the vegetables in a non-stick pot.

Like most chicken stews, this was a very satisfying dish. Not delicious per se, but fresh, homey and comforting. As with most traditional recipes, there are many variations of the dish. Some call for the addition of cilantro and/or pumpkin seeds. Most recipes call for the sauce to be thickened with prepared masa, and definitely use that if you have some around, but corn bread crumbs or even regular bread crumbs will work as well.

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Pollo en Jocón

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs chicken thighs
  • salt to taste
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 bunches green onions, roots and tops removed and cut into large pieces
  • 1 large green bell pepper, cut into large pieces
  • 1 lb tomatillos, peeled and quarted
  • 2 slices corn bread, crumbled or a small ball of prepared masa.

Directions

Put the chicken thighs in a pot, cover with water, sprinkle salt and simmer and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium size saucepan. Add green onions and bell pepper and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomatillos and cook on low for 20 minutes.

Using an electric blender, blend together the vegetables and about 1 cup of broth from cooking the chicken. Strain. Return mixture to the blender, add the crumbled corn bread or prepared masa and blend again.

Return sauce to the pan. Add chicken and remaining chicken broth and cook on low for fifteen minutes. Taste and season.


Adapted from Amalia Leticia Coronado Castellanos's recipe at De La Cocina de Mamá.


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