Slow-Simmered Guatemalan Chicken Pepian with Roasted Chilies

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-10 · Updated 2026-07-10

A rich, aromatic chicken stew featuring roasted Guatemalan chilies and traditional spices, slow-cooked until tender and infused with deep smoky flavors. This latin american-inspired chicken ready in about 100 minutes pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried Guajillo chilies, dried Pasilla chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
• 4 pieces dried Guajillo chilies
• 2 pieces dried Pasilla chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 3 medium roma tomatoes
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 slice sliced white bread
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• for serving cooked white rice

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 4 dried Guajillo chilies and 2 dried Pasilla chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side until fragrant but not burnt, then soak them in hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Roast 1 medium white onion quartered, 3 roma tomatoes, and 4 whole garlic cloves on a baking sheet under a broiler for 8-10 minutes until charred and soft.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, toast 1/4 cup pepitas, 1 slice sliced white bread, 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick, and 3 whole cloves over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and aromatic. Cool slightly.
4. Step 4: Blend the soaked chilies (drained), roasted onion, tomatoes, garlic, toasted pepitas, bread, cinnamon, and cloves with 1 cup chicken broth until smooth to make the pepian sauce.
5. Step 5: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and add 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Brown the chicken on all sides for 5-6 minutes.
6. Step 6: Pour the pepian sauce over the chicken and add the remaining 3 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.
7. Step 7: Serve the chicken pepian hot over cooked white rice, spooning extra sauce on top.