Pipián Verde de Pollo con Arroz Rojo (Chicken in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
Poached chicken in a creamy, herby green sauce of pumpkin seeds, tomatillos and coriander, served with red rice.
Made with Green mole (pipian verde) and Mexican red rice (arroz rojo). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.00 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the chicken, onion, garlic, salt and water in a large pan. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently for 20 minutes until cooked through with no pink inside.
20 min - 2
Lift out the chicken and strain the broth, keeping about 250 ml.
- 3
Warm your ready made pipián verde (see the base recipe) in a wide pan over a low heat with 100 ml of the broth, stirring. Add more broth if too thick. Do not let it boil hard.
5 min - 4
Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer very gently for 8 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
8 min - 5
Meanwhile, warm your ready made arroz rojo (see the base recipe) in a covered pan with 3 tbsp water until steaming hot. Reheat chilled rice only once.
6 min - 6
Serve the chicken and sauce on plates with the rice. Top with pumpkin seeds, radish and lime wedges.
Tips
- Warm the sauce slowly. A boil can split a seed-thickened sauce.
- Thin it with the chicken broth rather than water for flavour.
- The green mole is mild and fresh, not hot. Add a sliced serrano or jalapeño for more kick.
- Shredded chicken or pork shoulder also works in pipián.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 hour and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze the chicken in sauce for 3 months. Reheat gently until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Does pipián contain nuts?
This base uses pumpkin seeds and is nut free. Some traditional versions add almonds or peanuts, so check shop-bought products.
What is the difference from red mole?
Green mole is fresher, lighter and herb-led, thickened with seeds, tomatillo and leaves. Red moles use dried chillies and are darker.
Can I use fish?
Yes. Poach white fish for 6 minutes in the broth and warm it through gently in the sauce. It suits the fresh flavour well.
More made with green mole (pipian verde)
Tacos de Hongos con Pipián Verde (Mushroom Green Pipian Tacos)
GFDFEFChiles Poblanos Rellenos con Pipián Verde (Stuffed Poblanos in Green Sauce)
EFNFVCamarones en Pipián Verde (Prawns in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
DFEFNFPipián Verde de Pollo (Chicken in Green Pumpkin Seed Mole)
DFEFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.