Sopes de pollo are a delicious Mexican treat perfect to serve as a starter or as a main dish. A delicious chicken mixture with is used to fill a sope and then top it with a mild-spicy tomato and chipotle sauce, cream and lots of cheese.
This recipe is perfect for using the leftover chicken leftovers from other preparations, such as chicken soups or rotisserie chicken. Or you can use our recipe below to make a succulent chicken with tomato sauce and spices. So delicious!
Mexican sopes
Sopes are a type of corn tortilla but in a small and thick format with a border around it that serves to contain various ingredients such as bean puree, meat, vegetables, sauce, cheese and cream.
There are many ways to prepare a sope since ancient times and that have been increasing and enriching over the years. The sopes, along with tlacoyos are a dish that dates back to pre-Hispanic times and that is still very popular in Mexico until nowadays.
Among the various versions for making sopes are these sopes de pollo, a.k.a. chicken sopes that we are sharing with you today. Prepared with shredded chicken cooked with various spices or using leftovers from other recipes.
The chicken sopes that we are sharing with you today are served with a simple tomato sauce and topped with lettuce, onions, cream and queso fresco cheese. A true mexican antojito that you should try at least once!
how to make sopes from scratch
In Mexico and some parts of the United States, sopes are sold in packages, ready to use. You can find them in tortillerÃas or Latin American supermarkets.
For those of us who do not live in either of those two countries, we have no choice but to prepare our own sopes, and here in the blog we have a wonderful tutorial about how to make sopes at home!
salsa for sopes
We have prepared a tasty and easy tomato and chipotle sauce to serve with these chicken sopes as it gives them a truly irresistible flavor.
Other sauces to prepare these chicken sopes could be green tomatillo salsa, or also a roasted tomato sauce which is also very easy to prepare.
Of course, you can also use canned sauce if you prefer. There are many brands for mexican sauces that are pretty good, look for ranchera sauce, chipotle sauce or also green sauce.
Ingredients for Chicken Sopes
CHICKEN – A succulent spiced, shredded chicken, juicy and so full of flavour, very easy to prepare with our recipe below. Or you can also use rotisserie chicken from the supermarket or leftovers from other recipes.
TOMATO SALSA – You are going to need fresh tomatoes, onions and spices. Or you can also use a bottle of store-bought salsa, thus saving a lot of time preparing these chicken sopes.
LETTUCE – There’s nothing like iceberg lettuce for Mexican snacks, especially these sopes de pollo; but of course, if you can also use other types of lettuce because this dish will surely be just as delicious. Use whatever you have available.
BEANS – You going to need mashed beans to spread on sopes. We have a recipe for refried beans that are perfect to make sopes, but sometimes I also use canned refried beans and make an easy puree. Is up to you!
CHEESE – I usually use queso fresco that I make at home, but of course, that’s only if I have it available when I need it. On many other occasions I also use Feta cheese which is perfect for it. Use any fresh cheese you can find where you live.
CREAM – Finding mexican cream might be not easy (as is not for me), so let me tell you how to make a quick “recipe” for mexican cream: Mix 1 part of regular cream (not sweet!) + 1 part of greek yogurt + a few drops of lemon juice + a pinch of salt. Set aside for 10 minutes then use it.
Chicken Sopes Recipe
Make the chicken
Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion and potato in a pot. Add garlic, bay leaf, rosemary and salt then cover with water. Cook until chicken is tender, this depend with pot or method are you using (stove pot, instant pot, slow cooker, etc).
Remove chicken while is still hot and place it in a bowl. Shreed it using two forks and ser aside.
Heat olive oil in a medium pan, pour in the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water. Add cumin, pepper, oregano, garlic, paprika, chili flakes and salt. Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes.
Add shredded chicken, mix thoroughly and cook for about 5 minutes or until there’s almost not juices left.
Make the beans
Place cooked beans on a food processor. Blend until you’ll have a smooth puree. Add bean’s puree in a small pan over medium heat. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated and beans will have a spreadable texture.
Make tomato & chipotle salsa
Place tomatoes on a hot griddle or a cast-iron skillet. Grill until charred spots appear and tomatoes are soft.
Let tomatoes slightly cool down and then place them on a blender. Add garlic, salt, a pinch of cumin, and chipotle chilies. If you want your sauce spicier, add two or three roasted chile de árbol (dried red hot Mexican peppers).
Blend until you desired consistency and then set aside.
Make the sopes de pollo (chicken sopes)
Watch How To Make This Recipe
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Sopes de pollo (chicken sopes)
Ingredients
For cooking chicken
- 2 small chicken breasts (about 7 oz each)
- ½ medium onion
- 1 celery stick (cut into chunks)
- 1 carrot (cut into chunks)
- 1 small potato (peeled)
- 1 garlic clove (skin on)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 rosemary string
- 1 tsp salt
for chicken mixture
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or fresh, chopped)
- 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
- salt
For beans puree
- 15 oz pinto beans (1 can)
For tomato salsa
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove (peeled)
For chicken sopes
- 16 sopes
- 3 cups lettuce (shredded)
- 1 cup white onions (diced)
- â…” cup radishes (finely sliced)
- 1 ½ cup Mexican crema
- 1 cup Cotija or queso fresco cheese (crumbled)
- oil for frying
Instructions
Make the chicken mixture
- Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion and potato in a pot. Add garlic, bay leaf, rosemary and salt then cover with water. Cook until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken while is still hot and place it in a bowl. Shreed it using two forks and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a medium pan, pour in the tomato sauce and 1 ½ cup fo water. Add cumin, pepper, oregano, garlic, paprika, chili flakes and salt. Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken, mix thoroughly and cook for about 5 minutes or until there’s almost not juices left.
Make the beans
- Place cooked beans on a food processor. Blend until you’ll have a smooth puree.
- Add bean’s puree in a small pan over medium heat. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated and beans will have a spreadable texture.
Make tomato & chipotle salsa
- Place tomatoes on a hot griddle or a cast-iron skillet. Grill until charred spots appear and the tomatoes are soft.
- Let tomatoes slightly cool down and then place them on a blender. Add garlic, salt, a pinch of cumin, and chipotle chilies.
- Blend until you desired consistency and then set aside.
Assemble the sopes
- Heat some frying oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the sopes. Put them on a plate with a paper napkin to discard excess oil.
- Place the sopes on a large plate and spread some beans first.
- Add some of the chicken mixture on top and then some chopped onion, lettuce and radishes.
- Pour with tomato salsa, then add cream and finish with crumbled cheese. Serve immediately.
Currently, making. Sounds great! However, the steps have extra ingredients that are not listed. I’m just gonna wing it. Thanks!
those sopes de pollo and the sopes de picadillo I just saw here in your blog are completely new to me. i’m trying to learn mexican recipes and your blog is so inspiring.