Pollo en Jocón - Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Pollo en Jocón is a traditional chicken dish from Guatemala, with a flavorful bright green sauce made from tomatillos, cilantro, green pepper and jalapeños. It is properly served over white rice topped with fresh avocado slices.

I know what you are thinking, or at least I know what I was thinking when I first saw the name of this delicious stew from the Mayan culture. Pollo means chicken so jocón must be their word for tomatillo. Nope. 

According to New York Times Cooking, the name jocón comes from jok’, meaning to grind or mash in Mayan K’iche’.  Although the dish’s origins are indeed Mayan, some of its ingredients today, like sesame seeds and chicken, were likely introduced by Spanish colonizers.

Pollo en Jocón - Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Depending on how spicy you like your food, the jalapeños can be eliminated altogether or you can remove the seeds and membranes before mincing. If you can't find fresh tomatillos, canned are fine. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs or 672g boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 lb or 450g fresh tomatillos, husked

5 cups or 1.2L chicken stock

1⁄4 cup or 35g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 tablespoons or 14g white sesame seeds

2 corn tortillas

1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large garlic cloves

1 large green pepper

1 medium white onion

1-2 fresh jalapeños

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Place the chicken and tomatillos in a large pot with the chicken stock. 

Bring to a gentle boil then cover the pot and simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. 

In a dry non-stick pan over medium toast the pumpkin seeds, moving them constantly for three to five minutes. Add the sesame seeds and continue tossing for 2 more minutes until they are very lightly browned. 

Remove from heat immediately so they don’t continue browning.

Put the toasted pumpkin seeds and toasted sesame seeds into a blender (or clean coffee grinder) and pulse for 5 or 10 seconds, until they are ground. (You may need to stir a bit between pulses) Scrape into a small bowl or cup, and set aside. 

Peel and chop your garlic and onion. Remove the seeds and ribs from the green pepper and chop it roughly. Chop the jalapeños, if using. (See note above the ingredient list.)

Add the olive oil to a large pan. Sauté the garlic, green pepper, onion and jalapeños, stirring frequently, until the onion and peppers are soft. Remove from heat.

With a slotted spoon remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, use forks to shred the chicken. 

Remove tomatillos from the broth and put them in the blender. 

Rip the tortillas into pieces and put them in a small heatproof bowl. Pour about 1 cup or 240ml of the chicken broth from the pot over the tortillas and set them aside to soak till softened. 

Pinch any hard stems off of the cilantro and discard them along with any brown leaves. 

Add the cilantro, 1 1/2 cups or 360ml of the chicken broth, all of the bell pepper and onion mixture and the soaked tortillas (with their broth) to the tomatillos in the blender. 

Purée until smooth. Pour that gorgeous green sauce back into a pan. Use a little more of the stock to rinse the blender to make sure you get all of the sauce into the pan. (You can use the remaining broth to make the rice or save it for another recipe.) 

Add the ground toasted seeds to the pan. 

Bring the contents of the pan to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. 

Add the shredded chicken to the thickened sauce.

Simmer gently for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through again. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Serve the tomatillo chicken stew over white rice with some cilantro for garnish and a few slices of avocado. This dish is so flavorful and the avocado is the perfect topping to complement its spicy freshness. No wonder it's traditional. 

Enjoy!  

If you are a fan of tomatillos, you might also enjoy my Chicken Chili Verde made in an Instant Pot with white beans and the special little tomatillos from Melissa’s Produce called tomatillos milperos

 

It's Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes with avocados. Many thanks to our host, Sneha of Sneha's Recipe. 

• Avocado Chicken by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Green Salad With Avocado Dressing by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Keto Bacon Wrapped Avocado Fries by Sneha's Recipe
• Papas con Salsa de Aguacate by Culinary Cam
• Smooth Guacamole by Amy's Cooking Adventures 
• Spicy Avocado Coriander Chutney by Cook with Renu
• Pollo en Jocón - Tomatillo Chicken Stew by Food Lust People Love

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin this Pollo en Jocón –
Tomatillo Chicken Stew!

.

Stuffed Turkey Cutlets

Stuffed Turkey Cutlets are a fun, attractive way to serve turkey and stuffing. Each person gets an individual stuffed “turkey” wrapped in bacon. This recipe is great main dish for a low stress party. No more wondering if the turkey is perfectly done. It is! 

Personally, we like stuffing all year long, not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I often find myself frying sausage meat and mixing it up to roast under chicken thighs, as a filling for squash or occasionally, just baking it in a pan as a side dish. 

You will find the ingredient list and method below for the stuffing I make over and over again but please feel free to use your favorite recipe here as well. I know that for some families their own treasured stuffing recipe cannot be changed! 

Stuffed Turkey Cutlets

Cutlets or escalopes of turkey can be found at most grocery stores these days. While they are more expensive per pound than a whole turkey, not a bit will go to waste. And look at how pretty they are! 

Ingredients

For the sausage stuffing:

7 1/2 oz or 215g good quality fresh sausage (3-4 links)

6-7 slices stale bread, toasted and cubed

1/3 cup or 75g butter

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

2-3 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

1 1/2 cups or 180ml turkey or chicken stock

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 large egg

To assemble:

10 turkey cutlets (approx. weight 2 1/2 lbs or 1135g) 

10 slices smoked bacon

toothpicks

For decoration – optional

20 fresh sage leaves

10 fresh cranberries

toothpicks

Method

Cube the bread and add it to a large bowl that all the stuffing ingredients will fit in, with room to stir.

Remove the sausage from the casings and fry until golden in a skillet, breaking it into crumbles as you go. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and remove all but a tablespoon of any rendered fat. 

Add the butter to the frying pan and turn the heat on low. Sauté the onion and celery in the butter until it’s soft and translucent. 

Add the poultry seasoning, a few generous grinds of black pepper, and the 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and mix well. 

Add the onion mixture to the bowl with the bread. 

Add the crumbled fried sausage back in and stir. Now add the broth and stir again.

 

Set the stuffing aside to cool. 

Meanwhile, put the turkey cutlets, one at a time, between two large pieces of cling film on a cutting board and use the side of your rolling pin or a similar implement to flatten them out. 

Use new pieces of cling film for each turkey cutlet and set them in a stack, still between the cling film till you’ve pounded them all flat. 

Add the egg to the cooled stuffing and mix well. 

Lay one turkey cutlet on your working surface. Remove the top piece of cling film and discard. Put about 1/10th of the stuffing into the middle of the turkey cutlet and fold the sides over to cover it securely. 

Roll each of the stuffed turkey cutlets up in the bottom piece of cling film and line them up to chill on a plate in the refrigerator as you get them each made.

 

Once they are all made, preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C. 

Remove the cling film from each cutlet and wrap them with one slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks and place in a large baking pan. 

Roast in your preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and center of the stuffing reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C.

If desired, decorate each stuffed cutlet by securing two sage leaves and a fresh cranberry with a toothpick. Remove the other toothpicks to serve.

Of course, the pan drippings can used to make gravy and I recommend you do! Follow this easy instructional video from TheKitchn.

Serve the stuffed turkey cutlets with cranberry sauce and your favorite gravy. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 20th edition of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, brought to you by the letter T. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the T recipes below:

• Food Lust People Love: Stuffed Turkey Cutlets 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Taco Tater Skins 
• Culinary Cam: Toasted Croutons 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowls 
• Blogghetti: Turkey Cuban Sandwich Puffs 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Tomato Tart 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Tomato Onion Chutney 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Tender Coconut Meat Cutlet / Shahlyachi Malai Cutlet 
• A Messy Kitchen: Blackberry Tiramisu 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Baked Chicken Tenders with Crushed Fritos 
• Palatable Pastime: Thai Basil Chicken (Gai Pad Krapao)

Here are my posts for the alphabet challenge, thus far:
A: Anchovy Deviled Eggs
B: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly
C: Cecilie's Favorite Coleslaw
D: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing
E: Everything Pizza Tartin
F: Baked Chicken and Feta Meatballs
G: Grape Juice Jigglers
H: Crispy Bacon-wrapped Chicken Hearts
I: Raspberry Rhubarb Ice Cream
J: Java Dry Spice Mix Chops 

K. Korean Barbecue-style Meatballs 

L. Easy Lamb and Fresh Tomato Curry 

M. Fresh Mint Sauce 

N. Miso Butter Noodles 

O. Spicy Orange Braised Short Ribs 

P. Homemade Piri Piri Sauce 

Q, Cointreau Glazed Orange Quick Bread 

R. Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto 

S. Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole 

T. Stuffed Turkey Cutlets - this post!

Pin these Stuffed Turkey Cutlets! 

.

Jersey Slow Cooker Beans

The perfect dish for a leftover ham bone or pork knuckle, Jersey slow cooker beans are a traditional meal in the Channel Islands, baked in a bean crock. 

Given the many, many vintage bean crocks I see on the shelves of charity shops here on the island of Jersey, not many families are using those to cook the Jersey bean mix still found in grocery stores. I can only assume that they are using slow cookers or perhaps even pressure cookers. 

Back in the olden days, the Jersey bean crock was filled at home and baked overnight in a nearby baker’s oven as it cooled down, since homes didn’t have modern ovens as we do now. 

Most recipes online agree that a mix of beans is essential, as is some type of pork and/or beef. These days, the meat tends to be pork belly, pork knuckle or ham but years ago, it was pig’s trotters, that is to say, feet and beef shin. For my money, something on a bone adds the most flavor, hence my use of pork knuckle or ham.

Cheap cuts of meat add a lot of flavor and, of course, beans are fairly inexpensive as well, making Jersey slow cooker beans a filling meal for farmers and townies alike. 

Fun fact: People native to the island of Jersey are known as “Jersey beans” because of this ubiquitous traditional dish! Once upon a time it was pejorative but now they’ve embraced the nickname and use it proudly. 

Jersey Slow Cooker Beans

The traditional mix includes at least six different kinds of beans, including the most enormous butter beans I’ve ever seen. Check out my photo of the beans below but you can use whatever mix of beans you have on hand. One old article I read said that Jersey bean crock was a great way to use up the leftover odds and ends of your bean supply.

Ingredients

1 pork knuckle or ham bone, with some good meat still on

1.1 lb or 500g mixed dried beans

1 medium carrot

1 medium onion

2 stock cubes (preferably ham, if you can find it, but chicken or vegetable will work)

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

If you have time or have planned ahead, you can soak the beans overnight in cool water. If, like me, you are slow off the mark when meal planning, boil a full kettle of water and pour it over the beans in a heatproof bowl. 

Cover the bowl with a plate and set a timer for one hour. 

When the hour is up, if using the quick soak method, or the next day, if soaking overnight, pour off the water and rinse the beans in cool water. 

Peel and chop your carrot and onion. 

Add the beans to the slow cooker, along with your pork knuckle or ham bone. 

Tip in the chopped carrot and onion. Pour in water to cover everything. Rather than add salt, I like to use stock cubes which add salt AND flavor. Add those in now. 

Cook on high for 6-7 hours.

When the beans are tender, transfer the pork to a plate with a slotted spoon. Discard bones, cartilage and gristle and return the meat to the bean pot. Season the mixture to taste with fine sea salt and black pepper. 

Serve, as is traditional, with crusty bread. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing slow cooker recipes. For some of us, it’s still too warm in our kitchens to turn on the stove and for others, the cooler weather of autumn is upon us and we need warming dishes. Slow cookers are great for both needs. Check out the links below.

• Beef Tips with Gravy in the Slow Cooker from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Crockpot Mexican-Style Shredded Beef from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Jersey Slow Cooker Beans from Food Lust People Love
• Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Stew from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings from Our Good Life
• Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Apple Cider from Palatable Pastime

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin these Jersey Slow Cooker Beans!

.

Personal Mini Ravioli Lasagnas

Made with cheese and asparagus filled ravioli, Bolognese sauce and cheese sauce, these personal mini ravioli lasagnas are delicious and fun to feed a small party. 

If you’ve been reading along here for a while, you know that I love baking muffins. For several years I created and published a Muffin Monday post every single week. Nowadays, we celebrate Muffin Monday on the last day of the month so that’s still a minimum of 12 new muffin recipes each year. 

That said, I don’t often use the muffin pans for much of anything else. Which is a pity. Enter our Sunday FunDay host for today, Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures with a fun theme which will change that: Main dish in a muffin tin! 

I put my thinking cap on and initially decided to make my mother’s goulash, basically Bolognese sauce with macaroni and perhaps some added cheese that I could bake in the muffin tin. But would that REALLY be making a main course in a muffin tin or just rewarming it? 

I figured I needed something just a little more complicated to rise to Amy’s challenge. And sure, I could have cooked lasagna noodles and made actual little lasagnas with more layers just like a big one but the filled ravioli add extra flavor. 

My muffin pan has nine holes so I used 18 fresh ravioli. Fortunately the bag I bought had 18 good ones and one broken one which I discarded. As I mention below, you’ll have plenty of meat sauce. If your muffin tin has more holes, by all means make a little more cheese sauce and buy more ravioli. It’s all good. 

Personal Mini Ravioli Lasagnas

This recipe starts with my traditional Bolognese recipe which make about 4 1/2 cups or 1130g of sauce. You will have about 1 1/2 cups or 365g leftover but trust me when I say that you won’t regret it. It’s rich, delicious sauce that is great with any type of pasta. It also freezes well. 

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the pan

1 lb or 450g ground beef or pork (or half and half)

3 cloves garlic

1 medium yellow onion

1 can (14 oz or 400g) crushed tomatoes

1 can (6 oz or 170g) tomato paste

1 teaspoon Italian seasonings

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon baking soda

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the cheese sauce:

3/4 cup or 127g ricotta cheese

4 1/2  oz or 126g mozzarella

1 egg

For topping before baking:

1 oz or 28g Parmesan, freshly grated

1 oz or 28g mozzarella, grated

2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

Several pinches Italian seasonings, if desired

18 fresh ravioli, preferably round ones for a better fit, filling of your choice

The ravioli I used: 

Method

In a large Dutch oven over a medium high heat, brown the ground meat in the olive oil, crumbling it into the smallest bits possible with a wooden spoon as you do. 

Meanwhile, mince the garlic and chop the onion. 

When the beef is nicely browned, even crunchy in places, turn the heat down and add in the garlic and onions. Cook until they are soft and translucent. 

Add in the canned tomatoes with any juice and another whole can of water. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the Italian seasoning and tuck the bay leaf into the sauce. 

Bring to the boil, then lower the heat. Simmer the sauce, covered, for about 1 hour. 

Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the baking soda. 

This helps neutralize some of the acid in the tomatoes, making the sauce a bit sweeter. Season to your liking with the salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce by mixing together the ricotta, mozzarella and egg. Season with a few generous grinds of black pepper. 

Cut squares of nonstick baking parchment to tuck into your muffin pan and crumple them up. This will make them easier to shape into the pan. 

Trim some of the excess off but leave enough overhang so you can remove the mini lasagnas easily once cooked. 

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. 

Spoon 2 tablespoons of meat sauce into each lined muffin cup. Top with 1 ravioli.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of meat sauce on top. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese sauce.

Top with the second ravioli. 

Add 2 tablespoons of meat sauce. 

Divide the remaining cheese sauce between the mini lasagnas. 

In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients together and divide them between the mini lasagnas. Finish with a few pinches of Italian seasonings, if desired. 

Pop the muffin tin in your preheated oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through if, like mine, your oven doesn’t heat evenly.

Remove from the oven and put the muffin pan on a wire rack. Leave to cool for about five minutes and then carefully lift each mini lasagna out by its parchment liner. 

Use a small spatula to return any sauce on the parchment to the sides of the lasagna.

 

Serve warm or hot. 

We ate two each as a main course, befitting the theme, but these would also be great as a starter with a small side salad, as pictured.

Enjoy!

As I mentioned above, it's Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing main course recipes that can be make in a muffin tin. Many thanks to Amy from Amy's Cooking Adventures for the challenge. Check out the links below. 

• Bacon Cheeseburger Cups by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Personal Mini Ravioli Lasagnas by Food Lust People Love
• Pizza Cups by Our Good Life
• Poke Cups by Culinary Cam
• Savory Chicken Muffins For Two by Sneha's Recipe
• Sloppy Joe Cups by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Teriyaki Chicken Cups by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Tuna Noodle Casserole Cups by Palatable Pastime

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin these Personal Mini Ravioli Lasagnas! 

.