Sopes de pollo (chicken sopes)

Ingredients

• 2 small (about 198 g each)chicken breasts
• ½ mediumonion
• 1celery stick, cut into chunks
• 1carrot, cut into chunks
• 1 smallpotato, peeled
• 1garlic clove, skin on
• 1bay leaf
• 1 sprigrosemary
• 1 tspsalt
• 240 ml (1 cup)tomato sauce
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tsppepper
• 1 tspgarlic powder (or fresh garlic, chopped)
• 1 tbspsweet paprika
• to tastesalt
• 425 g (15 oz; 1 can)pinto beans
• 3 mediumtomatoes
• 2 tbspcanned chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
• ¼ tspground cumin
• 1garlic clove, peeled
• 16sopes
• 180 g (3 cups)lettuce, shredded
• 150 g (1 cup)white onions, diced
• about 75 g (⅔ cup)radishes, finely sliced
• 360 ml (1½ cups)Mexican crema
• about 100 g (1 cup)Cotija or queso fresco cheese, crumbled
• as neededoil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the chicken

   Put the chicken, carrot, celery, onion and potato in a pot. Add the garlic clove, bay leaf, rosemary and 1 teaspoon salt, then cover with water. Cook until the chicken is tender.

2. 2

   Shred the chicken

   Lift the chicken out while it is still hot and put it in a bowl. Shred it with two forks and set it aside.

3. 3

   Season the sauce

   Heat oil in a medium pan. Add the tomato sauce and 360 ml (1½ cups) water, followed by the cumin, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and salt to taste. Stir well and simmer for 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Finish the filling

   Stir in the shredded chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until very little liquid remains.

5. 5

   Purée the beans

   Put the cooked beans in a food processor and blend until smooth.

6. 6

   Thicken the beans

   Transfer the bean purée to a small pan over medium heat. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beans are spreadable.

7. 7

   Char the tomatoes

   Set the tomatoes on a hot griddle or cast-iron pan. Cook until they are soft and have charred patches.

8. 8

   Blend the salsa

   Let the tomatoes cool slightly, then put them in a blender with the peeled garlic, salt, ¼ teaspoon cumin and chipotle chillies. Blend to your preferred consistency and set aside.

9. 9

   Fry the sopes

   Heat oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the sopes. Transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.

10. 10

    Add the toppings

    Arrange the sopes on a large plate and spread beans over each one. Top with chicken, diced onion, lettuce and radishes.

11. 11

    Finish and serve

    Spoon over the tomato salsa, add crema and finish with crumbled cheese. Serve immediately.

What are sopes?

Sopes are Mexican corn-based rounds with a raised edge that helps hold their toppings. They are often dressed with beans, meat, salsa and fresh garnishes, making each one a compact, open-faced meal.

This version layers tender shredded chicken and smooth pinto beans with charred tomato-chipotle salsa, crema and salty cheese. The contrast between warm toppings and crisp, fresh vegetables keeps the rich layers lively.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 195 calories, 12g protein, 26g carbs, 6g fat.

The sopes, beans and vegetables provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken and beans contribute protein. Frying oil, crema and cheese account for much of the fat; serve with extra lettuce or a simple salad to add freshness alongside the rich toppings.

Build a flavourful chicken filling

Poaching vegetables: The chicken cooks with onion, carrot, celery, potato, garlic and herbs, which flavour the cooking liquid as the meat softens. Remove the chicken while it is hot so it is easier to pull apart with forks.

Simmering the sauce: Tomato sauce, spices and water give the shredded chicken a seasoned coating. Let the filling cook until only a little liquid remains so it sits neatly on the sopes rather than soaking them.

Get the beans spreadable

Smooth purée: Blend the cooked pinto beans until there are no large pieces. A smooth layer is easier to spread across the small bases.

Gentle reduction: Heat the purée until most of its excess liquid has evaporated. Stop when it holds its shape but is still soft enough to spread.

Make the smoky salsa

Charred tomatoes: Cook the tomatoes on a very hot griddle or cast-iron pan until softened and blistered in places. The browned patches bring a deeper flavour to the salsa.

Chipotle heat: Blend the tomatoes with chipotle, garlic and cumin, then taste before adding the salsa to the sopes. The chipotle adds both smokiness and heat, so adjust the amount to suit your preference.

Fry without making the bases greasy

Light frying: Heat the oil before adding the sopes and fry them briefly, just until warmed and lightly crisped. Drain them on kitchen paper so excess oil does not weigh down the toppings.

Work in batches if needed to keep the pan from getting crowded. Assemble the sopes soon after frying, while the bases are still warm.

Layer for a balanced bite

Base first: Spread the beans over each sope, then add the chicken. This gives the toppings a stable layer and helps keep them in place.

Fresh finish: Add onion, lettuce and radishes before the salsa, crema and cheese. Serve at once so the vegetables stay crisp and the bases do not soften too much.

What to serve alongside

As a starter, serve one or two sopes per person with extra salsa at the table. For a more substantial meal, pair them with a crisp green salad or a bowl of extra beans.

Keep the crema and cheese available separately if people want to adjust their own toppings. Lime wedges also make a fresh accompaniment, though they are not part of the listed ingredients.

Recipe notes & tips

• Shred the chicken while it is still warm for easier handling.
• Reduce the chicken sauce until only a small amount of liquid remains before adding the filling to the bases.
• Cook the bean purée gently and stir it often to prevent it catching on the pan.
• Blend the salsa briefly if you prefer it slightly chunky.
• Drain the fried sopes on kitchen paper before assembling.
• Keep the lettuce and radishes chilled until you are ready to serve.

Variations

• Milder salsa: Use less chipotle and blend the rest of the salsa as directed.
• More heat: Add extra chipotle to the tomato mixture a little at a time.
• Vegetarian filling: Replace the chicken with extra pinto beans and use the same seasoned tomato sauce.
• Cheese swap: Use either Cotija or queso fresco, whichever is available.
• Fresh topping: Add diced avocado just before serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet chicken filling: Keep simmering it until little liquid remains so it does not soak the bases.
• Runny beans: Continue cooking the purée until it is thick enough to spread.
• Pale tomatoes: Let the tomatoes blister and soften on the hot griddle for a deeper salsa flavour.
• Greasy sopes: Heat the oil properly and drain the bases on kitchen paper after frying.
• Soggy toppings: Assemble close to serving time and avoid leaving the finished sopes standing.
• Overpowering salsa: Add chipotle gradually and taste before blending in more.

How to store

Store the chicken, beans and salsa separately in covered containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken and beans until piping hot, then fry and assemble the sopes just before serving; keep the fresh toppings and crema chilled.

Frequently asked questions