StewsMediumFree

Chicken in Pumpkin Seed Sauce with Cactus

Name: Chicken in Pumpkin Seed Sauce with Cactus
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic; 1 to taste salt; 800 g chicken thighs; 2 serrano chilli; 0.5 white onion; 150 g hulled pumpkin seeds; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 pencas cactus paddles (nopales); 1 tsp dried oregano; 3 sprigs epazote; 250 g tomatillos

70 min (25 prep + 45 cook) Medium 4 servings Centro

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Chicken in green pumpkin seed mole with cactus strips — an ancestral sauce for everyday cooking.

About this recipe

Chicken simmered in a thick, silky green pumpkin seed sauce - the authentic pipian verde - with cactus paddle strips that add texture and a gentle herbaceous note. Pipian is one of Mexico's oldest moles, made with toasted, ground pumpkin seeds that give it its characteristic texture and unmistakable nutty flavour.

History & Origin

Pipian verde is one of the oldest stews in Mesoamerica, with origins stretching back at least 2,000 years. The Aztecs prepared it with pumpkin seeds ground on a metate, tomatillos and wild herbs, calling it 'pipiani' in Nahuatl - a term meaning 'seed sauce'. The pumpkin seed was a sacred food in Mesoamerican cultures, used both in ritual offerings and in everyday cooking. Puebla became the capital of pipian during the colonial period, when convent nuns perfected the recipe by adding herbs such as epazote and lettuce leaves to intensify the green colour. The addition of cactus to pipian is widespread in the states of Morelos, Hidalgo and the State of Mexico, where cactus paddles are ubiquitous and added to almost any stew to enrich it with their unique texture.

Estimated cost

£20.00

Total cost

£5.00

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

450

Calories

35g

Protein

15g

Carbohydrates

25g

Fat

Fibre

600mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Poach the chicken in water with onion, garlic, salt and oregano for 25 minutes. Remove, allow to cool and shred. Reserve the poaching stock.
2
Clean the cactus paddles and slice into strips. Boil in salted water with bicarbonate of soda for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Set aside.
3
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they begin to colour and pop (4–5 minutes). Leave to cool.
💡 Do not over-toast or the pipian will turn bitter.
4
Blend the toasted pumpkin seeds with the raw tomatillos, serrano chilli, garlic, onion, epazote and one cup of chicken stock until very smooth.
5
Heat the oil in a pot and add the sauce all at once. Fry over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining stock and shredded chicken.
6
Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the cooked cactus strips and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with white rice and warm tortillas.