Chicken in Pipian Sauce (A Traditional Mexican Recipe)

Pipián is an earthy, pureed seed sauce that is traditional in Mexican cooking. Often made using pumpkin or squash seeds this recipe uses a few different seeds but you can easily substitue any that you prefer. This recipe is a more modern version of this very typical and grand recipe! I would suggest serving this over or with rice.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  whole chickens, cut into parts
• 6  cups water
• 2  carrots, cut in half lengthwise
• 1  onion, quartered
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  celery
• 2  parsley sprigs
• 4  teaspoons salt
• 4  black peppercorns

• Pipian Sauce

• 1  cup sesame seeds
• 1  cup  blanched almond
• 1  tablespoon  corn oil or 1  tablespoon  lard
• 2  teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
• 6  yellow chiles, chopped
• 3⁄4 cup  olive
• 2  teaspoons capers

Directions

1. Cook the chicken with the water, vegetables and seasonings in a large saucepan until tender.
2. Strain, reserving the broth.
3. Skin and bone the chicken, and set aside.
4. To make the sauce, toast the sesame seeds lightly in a skillet, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant.
5. Puree the sesame seeds with the almonds and 2 cups of the chicken broth.
6. Heat oil or lard in a skillet, add the blended sesame-seed-almond mixture, and cook for 5 to 8 min., until thickened.
7. Add 2 to 3 more cups of the broth and chicken bouillon and simmer for 5 more minutes.
8. Add the chiles, olives, capers and chicken.
9. Simmer for 10 minutes, and serve hot.