A traditional Guatemalan dish — Pollo en Jocón is the home-style version of the highlands’ famous green stew: chicken simmered in a vivid sauce of tomatillos, cilantro, and green chiles, with potatoes soaking up all that herbal goodness. It is the sort of meal Guatemalan grandmothers make on ordinary days — bright, tangy, and gently spicy. Serve it with rice and let the sauce do the talking.
Pollo en Jocón
A traditional Guatemalan dish — Pollo en Jocón is the home-style version of the highlands’ famous green stew: chicken simmered in a vivid sauce of tomatillos, cilantro, and green chiles, with potatoes soaking up all that herbal goodness.

Step by stepInstructions
- Season the chicken with salt and brown it well in oil in a heavy pot; set aside.
- Boil the tomatillos in water for 8 minutes until soft; drain.
- Blend the tomatillos with the chiles, cilantro, onion, garlic, and cumin into a smooth green recado.
- Cook the recado in the pot for 5 minutes, stirring, until it turns a deeper green and smells fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pot, add the broth, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes more, until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are soft.
- Season with salt and serve with white rice and warm tortillas.
💡 Chef tips & storage
Blending the sauce until silky is the secret — a chunky sauce won't coat the chicken the same way. For extra depth, char the tomatillos instead of boiling them.

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