Jocón de Pollo in Green Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09

A classic Guatemalan stew of bone-in chicken simmered in a bright green sauce of tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds. Serve it with white rice and warm corn tortillas. This Guatemalan-inspired chicken recipe (gluten-free), ready in about 70 minutes, blends bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, tomatillos, husked and rinsed, fresh cilantro, with tender stems into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 410 calories and feeds 6, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 2 cups packed fresh cilantro, with tender stems
• 6 scallions, trimmed
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded
• 1 serrano chile, seeded
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 white onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 corn tortillas, torn
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The blender we’d make this in → Best Blenders for 2026: Top Picks + Smoothie Season Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and the pepper. Put it in a large pot with the onion, 2 garlic cloves and the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes.
2. Step 2: While the chicken cooks, toast the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Transfer to a blender.
3. Step 3: Simmer the tomatillos in a small pot of water for 6–8 minutes, until olive-green and soft. Drain.
4. Step 4: Add the tomatillos, cilantro, scallions, bell pepper, serrano, remaining garlic and torn tortillas to the blender. Ladle in 1 cup of the cooking broth and blend until smooth.
5. Step 5: Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Pour in the sauce carefully, because it will spatter, and fry it for 5 minutes, stirring.
6. Step 6: Add the chicken and enough broth to make a sauce that coats a spoon. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Season with the remaining salt.
7. Step 7: Serve with white rice and warm tortillas.