Editorial sample recipeGuatemalanbeginnerhalalgluten-freedairy-free

Guatemalan Chicken Guisado With Chayote And Carrots

Name: Guatemalan Chicken Guisado With Chayote And Carrots
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients: 1.5 lb chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed, halal certified; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 medium plum tomatoes, halved; 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds; 1 tbsp white sesame seeds; 1 medium chayote squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks; 2 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds; 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, halal certified; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp salt

Pan-browned chicken thighs slow-simmered with sweet chayote squash and carrots in a rich, toasted seed and tomato recado sauce.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min

Technique to learn

Dry-Charring Vegetables and Seeds

Toasting seeds and searing tomatoes without oil concentrates natural sugars and deepens aromatics before blending into traditional recados.

Instructions

Step 1: Toast the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, then transfer to a blender.
Char the plum tomato halves in the same dry skillet for 5 minutes until blackened in spots, then add to the blender with half a cup of chicken broth and blend until smooth.

Step 3: Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the chicken thighs for 4 minutes per side until deeply browned.

Step 4: Pour the blended tomato recado and remaining chicken broth into the pot with the chicken, stirring to scrape up any browned bits.

Step 5: Add the chayote squash, carrots, ground coriander, and salt to the pot, bringing the liquid to a simmer.

Step 6: Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 25 minutes until chicken is tender and vegetables are soft.

Step 7: Serve hot ladled over warm steamed rice.

Cooking tips

Toasting pumpkin and sesame seeds enhances their rich nutty oils, giving the recado sauce authentic Guatemalan depth.
Chayote squash absorbs seasonings well while retaining a pleasant texture.
Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Guatemalan; regional versions vary.
Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.

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