Guatemalan Sesame Seed Stew with Chicken

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This rich, deep-flavored Guatemalan stew is built on a velvety sauce of toasted sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried chilies, and charred tomatillos. Slowly simmered with bone-in chicken, it develops a nutty complexity that pairs beautifully with white rice and warm tortillas.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 680 kcalCalories
• 34 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 42 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 8 gSugar
• 52 gProtein
• 740 mgSodium
• 1050 mgPotassium
• 190 mgCalcium
• 7 mgIron
• 22 mgVitamin C
• 145 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken and base

• 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin trimmed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large white onion, quartered
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 cups chicken broth, divided
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

For the toasted seed and chili sauce

• 1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds
• 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 dried guajillo or pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish

For serving

• 4 cups hot cooked white rice
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Warm corn tortillas

Directions

1. Toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking often, until golden and fragrant; transfer to a plate. In the same pan, toast the cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and cumin for about 1 minute until aromatic, then add to the plate.
2. Place the dried chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water; soak for 15 minutes until softened, then drain. Char the tomatillos and tomatoes directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for 8-10 minutes, turning until blistered and blackened in spots.
3. In a blender, combine the soaked chilies, charred tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, garlic, toasted seeds, toasted spices, cilantro, and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth, adding a splash more broth if needed to help it move.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high. Pat the chicken dry, season with the salt, and brown in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden; transfer to a plate.
5. Pour the blended sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into the pot, pressing to extract all the puree. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until the sauce darkens and thickens slightly.
6. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot along with the bay leaves and the remaining 3 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer gently for 50-60 minutes until the chicken is fork-tender and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
7. Uncover, skim excess fat from the surface, and simmer 5 more minutes to concentrate the sauce. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in extra chopped cilantro just before serving.
8. Ladle the stew over mounds of white rice, garnish with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• For a deeper, smokier flavor, replace half the chicken broth with a mild dark beer such as a Munich lager.
• Always strain the blended sauce; this is the secret to a velvety, restaurant-style texture without graininess.
• Guajillo chilies give a mild fruity heat; substitute ancho chilies for a smokier, slightly sweeter profile.
• Make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate; the flavors deepen and the fat solidifies for easy skimming.
• If the sauce reduces too much during simmering, loosen with additional warm broth to keep it spoonable, not paste-like.

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