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Pulique
Chicken stew in chile sauce
Pulique: Guatemalan Kaqchikel chicken stew in a tomato and chile sauce thickened with masa
Pulique is a ceremonial stew of the Kaqchikel Maya around Chimaltenango and Sacatepéquez in the Guatemalan highlands, made for weddings, saints' days and cofradía feasts, and now cooked at home for Sunday lunch. Chicken simmers with potatoes, güisquil (chayote) and green beans, then a blended sauce of tomatoes, tomatillos, guaque chiles and toasted bread or masa thickens the broth into a smooth, brick-red caldo. Serve with rice and tamalitos or corn tortillas. The usual mistake is adding the masa straight in, which makes lumps; whisk it into some cool broth first. Chicken is done at 74 °C, when the juices run clear. Chef's tip: char the tomatoes and tomatillos in a dry pan until blackened in spots for the gentle smoky flavour of the highlands.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksskin removed
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 1 onionhalved
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 14 oz potatoespeeled and quartered
- 1 chayote (güisquil)peeled and cut into chunks
- 5 ½ oz green beanshalved
For the sauce
- 4 tomatoes
- 4 tomatilloshusked
- 3 guajillo or guaque chilesseeded
- 3 tbsp masa harina
- 1 tsp achiote (annatto) paste
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, 6 ¼ cups water, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic and 1 ½ tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 25 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Meanwhile char 4 tomatoes and 4 tomatillos in a dry heavy pan over a high heat for 10 minutes, turning, until blackened in spots. Toast 3 guajillo or guaque chiles for 30 seconds a side, then soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
12 minStep 3: Blend the tomatoes, tomatillos, drained chiles, 1 tsp achiote (annatto) paste and ¼ tsp ground cumin with 200 ml of the chicken broth until smooth.
3 minStep 4: Add 14 oz potatoes and 1 chayote (güisquil) to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes, then add 5 ½ oz green beans.
10 minStep 5: Pour in the blended sauce. Whisk 3 tbsp masa harina into 150 ml cool broth until smooth and stir it in. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the stew thickens enough to coat a spoon and the chicken is 165°F at the bone.
15 minStep 6: Stir in 3 tbsp fresh coriander, taste for salt and serve with rice or corn tortillas.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pulique take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 65 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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