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Pepián de choclo péruvien

Name: Pepián de choclo péruvien
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: PE
Ingredients: 1.2 kg chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on (thighs and drumsticks); to taste salt and black pepper; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large red onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste; 1 tbsp ají panca paste (optional, for colour and sweetness); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 kg fresh corn kernels (about 7–8 ears); 750 ml water or light chicken broth; 200 g peeled butternut squash or loche squash, cut into small cubes (optional, traditional); 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus a few huacatay (black mint) leaves if you can find them; to serve cooked white rice; to serve sarsa criolla (thinly sliced red onion with lime, salt and ají); to serve cancha serrana (toasted corn kernels)

30m

Prépa

60m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Un ragoût épais de maïs frais mijoté avec du poulet, crémeux et doux, servi avec du riz et une salsa d'oignon rouge.

#peruvian#corn#chicken#stew#comfort-food#northern-peru

Portions

6portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories480

protein29g

carbs45g

fat20g

fiber5g

Par portion

Étapes

Brown the chicken

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot (at least 6 liters/6 quarts) over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on all sides, about 8 minutes, then lift it onto a plate.

1.2 kg chicken pieces
to taste salt and pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : chicken is golden-brown on all sides

⏱8:00

Make the sofrito

Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion in the same pot, stirring, for 6–7 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, ají amarillo paste, ají panca paste, cumin and oregano, and cook 2 minutes more until fragrant.

1 large red onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp ají amarillo paste
1 tbsp ají panca paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano

✅ C'est prêt quand : onion is soft and golden, spices smell fragrant

⏱8:30

Blend the corn

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Simmer with chicken

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Finish with herbs

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Serve the stew

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Brown the chicken

1.2 kg chicken pieces
to taste salt and pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : chicken is golden-brown on all sides

⏱8:00

Make the sofrito

1 large red onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp ají amarillo paste
1 tbsp ají panca paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano

✅ C'est prêt quand : onion is soft and golden, spices smell fragrant

⏱8:30

Blend the corn

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Simmer with chicken

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Finish with herbs

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Serve the stew

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History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Lambayeque, northern Peru📅 Pre-Columbian roots, developed through the colonial era🌽 PE

Corn has been the backbone of northern Peruvian cooking since the Moche and Chimú civilizations farmed the valleys around present-day Lambayeque and Piura. Pepián de choclo grew out of that world: fresh corn ground on a stone and cooked slowly with whatever meat was at hand, thickened by the corn itself rather than flour or rice.

Over time it became a dish for gatherings and Sundays, often made with chicken or pork and finished with the region's own squash, loche, and fragrant herbs like huacatay. Every family in the north has its own version, passed down more by feel than by measurement.

⭐ Why It's Famous

It shows off fresh Peruvian corn at its best: sweet, starchy and full of flavor, turned into a thick, golden stew instead of a side dish.

💡 Fun Fact

The name pepián is shared with similar thick, ground-based stews found elsewhere in Latin America, such as Guatemala's pepián and Mexico's pipián, though Peru's version relies on fresh corn rather than seeds or nuts.

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