This Chori Pollo recipe is packed with tons of flavors! From mild spicy chorizo to sweet onions, to the tender chicken seasoned with earthy spices. Chicken and chorizo make the perfect easy weeknight meal.
Serve with classics like guacamole, refried beans, Mexican red rice, and warm tortillas, and you got an amazing Mexican meal that everyone will love!
About
Chori Pollo is a Mexican-American recipe that consists of chicken tenderloins cooked with a mixture of crispy chorizo sausage, caramelized onions, cheese, and cream.
This flavorful recipe is served in Mexican restaurants in the US and is one of the most popular. Is usually served with a side of refried beans, Mexican rice, lettuce and tomato salad, and tortillas.
The dish’s name comes from the combination of the words chorizo + pollo to become choripollo or chori-pollo which in English translates to chorizo and chicken because those are the two main ingredients of this simple dish.
Chorizo is a Mexican sausage made of ground pork, chilies, and spices. It is used in many traditional and modern recipes because it adds tons of flavor to any dish.
Read more about Mexican chorizo and how to make it at home with our easy recipe.
Why You Should Make It
- Flavorful: Chorizo is such a flavorful sausage, it’s packed with mild spicy chilies and aromatic spices, so it infuses the chicken meat and transforms it from boring to amazingly delicious.
- Easy & Quick: You don’t need special skills to make chori pollo, as you will only pan fry the chorizo sausage, onions, and chicken, then combine everything with cheese and cream. All of this in less than 30 minutes!
- Prep-friendly: You can easily double or triple the recipe, pack it in bags and freeze it for an easy family meal any day of the week. choripollo is really the perfect prep meal!
- Versatile: It can easily be prepared with cooked chicken, making it perfect to use rotisserie chicken or turkey leftovers.
Ingredients
- Chicken. You will need 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets.
- Chorizo. For this recipe, you need Mexican chorizo which looks like Italian sausages but with a bright red color, it is a fresh product so you will find it in Mexican food stores in the refrigerated food section. If you don’t have a Mexican store near to you, you can make my homemade chorizo recipe.
- Cheese. Use any type of melty cheese you have available, Oaxaca, Asadero, or Chihuahua cheese are perfect, but you can also use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or white cheddar.
- Cream. My favorite is Mexican crema, but also whole cream or sour cream works fine for this recipe.
- Onions. Onions add texture and flavor, I like to add them sliced into thick rings.
- Chili powder. This ingredient is optional, chorizo already adds a nice spicy kick but chipotle powder adds a particular smoky flavor, feel free to leave it out or replace it with smoked paprika or chili flakes.
- Seasonings. I used some basic seasonings such as garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper, you can use as much as you want or even swap it with taco seasoning!
- Oil. I used olive oil, but other types of oil work just fine.
How To Make Choripollo
Season the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. If you want a spicy kick, add also some chipotle powder or chili flakes.
In a large pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and cook the chorizo sausage for 3 minutes breaking it with the back of a spoon.
Now, stir in the sliced onions and cook over medium-low until nicely softened and cooked through (about 6-7 minutes).
Remove the chorizo and onions from the pan and place them on a plate. Cover the plate to prevent the ingredients from drying out.
Then, heat 2 more tablespoons of oil and cook the chicken over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side until nice and golden brown.
Return the chorizo and caramelized onions to the pan with the chicken and distribute them nicely all over. If the mixture is too dry, add a splash of water or chicken stock.
Now, add the shredded cheese to the pan, covering the chicken fillets. Then add the cream, if it’s too thick, thin it out with a splash of milk before adding it.
Cover the pan and set the heat to the lowest point on your stovetop. Cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling (about 3 minutes).
Add some dried parsley or any greens for looks and serve immediately your chori pollo with any of the sides suggested below or make some tacos with flour tortillas…yum!
Notes
- Make sure the chicken and chorizo mixture won’t become too dry, either adding a splash of water or chicken stock or using a bit of milk to thin out the cream.
- Do not overcook the chicken or it will become leathery. Depending on the thickness of your chicken fillets, they take about 5-7 minutes per side.
- If you want to make chori pollo with cooked chicken make sure you add it as soon as the onion and chorizo mixture is done.
How To Serve
Choripollo can be served with many sides or used to make tacos, quesadillas, or burritos. Below are my recommendations, so you have plenty of authentic options to choose from:
- Guacamole: The classic Mexican guacamole recipe never fails.
- Pico de gallo: Another favorite, it is fresh, tangy, and perfect to pair with this dish.
- Arroz a la Mantequilla: Buttery rice is one of my favorites because it helps to balance the spiciness.
- Champiñones: Mexican-style mushrooms are perfect for those who want to stick to a low carb meal.
- Cilantro & lime rice: Tangy, citrusy, and fresh! This rice is just amazing with pretty much anything Mexican.
- Flour tortillas: Soft, buttery, and warm flour tortillas if you want to make burritos or tacos.
- Corn tortillas: For those who want to stick to a gluten-free meal.
Store & Reheat
Place your chori pollo leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For reheating, place chicken and chorizo in a skillet and add a splash of water, cover and reheat over medium heat shaking the pan from time to time until nicely heated through.
Or you can place them in a baking dish, cover them with foil and reheat them in the oven at 360°F (180°C).
More Chorizo Recipes
Mexican Chori Pollo
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts (cut into 4 cutlets)
- 9 oz Mexican chorizo
- 7 oz Oaxaca cheese, shredded (or any melty cheese you prefer)
- â…“ cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- 1 medium white onion (sliced)
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- 1 ½ tsp chipotle powder (optional)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup chicken stock (optional, read notes)
Instructions
- Season chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, and chipotle powder.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the chorizo. Break with the back of a spoon and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the onions and cook over medium-low until nicely softened and cooked through (about 6-7 minutes).
- Transfer chorizo and onions to a plate and cover with foil.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel, then heat the remaining oil.
- Add chicken and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until nicely golden brown.
- Return the chorizo and caramelized onions to the pan and distribute them all over. If the mixture is too dry, add a splash of water or chicken stock.
- Cover the chicken with cheese, then drizzle with cream (read notes).
- Cover the pan and set the heat to the lowest point on your stovetop. Cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling (about 3 minutes).
- Serve chori pollo with warm tortillas or your fav sides.
Notes
- Chicken stock is used only if the mixture gets too dry, if chorizo is juicy enough you won’t need this ingredient.
- If the cream is too thick, thin it out with a splash of milk before adding it.
Nutrition Information
Loved this authentic Mexican Chori Pollo recipe? Then please don’t forget to rate it and leave us a comment below!
Very rich in flavor. Easy to prepare. Definitely worth it. Will be on my list of flavor list of favorites.
Amazing
Delicious!
Made this today and it turned out great. I pretty much followed the recipe with a few exception. I didn’t have any garlic salt, so used Adobe, also substituted the cheese with Mexican shredded cheese. I also cooked the sausage much longe, but only because I like it more brown & crispy. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! My family of 5 quickly ate the entire pan!
Chori pollo is one of my favorites Mexican dish and always ask for it when I go to the Mexican restaurant. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!