Chicatanas: what they are, taste and how they're eaten

What is it?

Chicatanas, also called nucú in Chiapas and zompopos in Central America, are the reproductive ants (winged queens) of Atta mexicana, a leafcutter ant that emerges in a nuptial flight after the first heavy rains of May or June. In states such as Oaxaca, Guerrero, Veracruz and Chiapas their nocturnal gathering is a peasant tradition: they are captured with buckets or light traps at dawn and prepared toasted on the comal with garlic and salt, or ground into a salsa with pasilla chilli and tomato. Their flavour recalls smoked bacon, toasted peanut and caramelised onion, with notes of damp earth. They constitute a seasonal food of very high cultural and economic value, considered one of the most representative delicacies of Mexican entomophagy.

Origin and history

The pre-Hispanic consumption of chicatanas is documented by Bernardino de Sahagún in the Florentine Codex, where he describes large winged ants that are eaten toasted. CONABIO Enciclovida and the National Forestry Commission report that their gathering follows Mesoamerican agricultural patterns, since their appearance coincides with the start of the rainy season and the sowing of maize. In the Mixtec zone of Oaxaca and on the Costa Chica of Guerrero, their capture is carried out during a single night a year, called the night of the chicatanas, in which whole communities gather around anthills to collect the queens. In Chiapas, the Zoque and Tzeltal peoples maintain the tradition of nucú roasted in banana leaves. Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido agree in noting that the chicatana has gone from being a subsistence food to a delicacy, reaching prices of up to 3,500 pesos per clean kilo.

Characteristic ingredients

Atta mexicana is a leafcutter ant that lives in underground colonies with up to two million individuals. Those that are eaten are the winged females, called queens or gines, 2-3 cm long, with an abdomen rich in fat, ready to found new colonies. They are prepared by removing wings and legs, toasting them on the comal with garlic, salt and, occasionally, chilli. Once toasted, they are ground in a molcajete with pasilla chilli, garlic, salt and a splash of water to make the legendary chicatana salsa, which accompanies tlayudas, memelas and grilled meats. In Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, a chicatana mole with cacao and spices is also made. Studies by the Institute of Biology of the UNAM report protein contents of 42% by dry weight, as well as essential fatty acids and minerals such as iron and zinc, higher than those of egg.

Cultural significance

Chicatanas are a symbol of Oaxacan and Guerrero cuisine, integrated into the dossier of Traditional Mexican Cuisine declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2010. The chicatana salsa of chef Enrique Olvera, served at Pujol, achieved world fame when highlighted by Anthony Bourdain and by Gourmet magazine, contributing to the revaluation of Mexican entomophagy in the 21st century. Their ritual consumption is linked to the start of the agricultural year: in some communities the first chicatana harvest is offered to the earth before sowing. The pressure from urbanisation, pesticides and overexploitation threatens the wild colonies, so CONABIO and INECOL drive monitoring and sustainable-use programmes. Gastronomic festivals in Yanhuitlán, Tlaxiaco and Tehuantepec celebrate their arrival with salsa and chicatana-mole contests.

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