Sopes de Pollo: Crispy Mexican Chicken Sopes with Fresh Toppings 2026

Sopes de pollo are one of Mexico's most beloved street foods: small, pinched corn tortillas fried until the edges turn crisp, then piled high with refried beans, shredded chicken and a handful of fresh toppings. They are hearty, colorful and surprisingly easy to make at home.

The base is a simple masa dough shaped into little boats, which gives every sope a soft center and a golden, crunchy rim. On top goes a first layer of refried beans and a second layer of chicken simmered in a bright tomato and jalapeño sauce.

Finish each one with crisp iceberg lettuce, crumbled fresh cheese, a drizzle of cream and sliced jalapeños if you like heat. Serve them right away while the tortillas are still warm and the toppings are at their freshest.

Ingredients for Sopes de Pollo

This recipe makes 12 sopes, enough to serve 4 to 6 people as a main course.

• 400 g chicken breast
• Salt
• A few black peppercorns
• 400 ml crushed tomato
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 50 g canned jalapeños
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 400 g cooked red beans
• 1 onion
• 400 g precooked white corn flour
• Salt
• 650 ml water
• Plenty of sunflower oil for frying
• 50 g iceberg lettuce
• 50 g fresh Burgos-style cheese
• 50 ml cooking cream
• Sliced jalapeños to taste

How to Make Sopes de Pollo Step by Step

1. Cook the chicken breast

Start by making the shredded chicken filling. Place about 400 g of chicken breast in a pot with half a teaspoon of salt and a few black peppercorns, cover with water and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Then remove the breast, set it aside to cool and reserve the cooking water as well.

2. Blend the tomato sauce

While the breast cools, add 400 ml of crushed tomato, 1 onion cut into quarters, 1 peeled garlic clove cut in half, 50 g of canned jalapeños and salt to a blender. Blend these ingredients until completely smooth with no lumps left.

3. Simmer the shredded chicken in the sauce

Shred the chicken breast using two forks. Then pour the tomato mixture into a skillet, add the shredded chicken and pour in 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking broth. Cook everything for 10 minutes over medium heat until the sauce reduces, then set the chicken aside covered to keep it warm.

4. Make the refried beans

To make the refried beans, heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and add 400 g of cooked red beans and 1 onion cut into small pieces. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, mashing the beans as they cook until they reach the texture of a thick purée. Once ready, set aside covered to keep warm.

5. Prepare the corn dough

For the corn tortillas, put 400 g of precooked white corn flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and 650 ml of warm water in a bowl. Work the dough until it forms a smooth, even ball.

6. Shape the dough into portions

Divide the dough into about 12 portions of roughly 60 to 65 g each and roll each portion into a ball.

7. Form the tortillas

Flatten each portion between two pieces of kitchen paper to avoid adding more flour while stretching them; a cup, a small pan or a rolling pin will do the job. Once flattened, pinch the edges of each one and set them aside.

8. Fry the tortillas

Prepare a skillet with plenty of sunflower oil and fry the tortillas for about 2 minutes per side until golden. Then leave them on absorbent paper to remove any excess frying oil.

9. Assemble and serve the sopes

Build the sopes with a first layer of refried beans and a second layer of shredded chicken. Divide 50 g of iceberg lettuce cut into fine julienne, 50 g of crumbled Burgos-style cheese and 50 ml of cooking cream among the sopes. If you like spice, add sliced jalapeños to taste and serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Sopes de Pollo

Get the layers right

The classic filling is built in two layers: first refried beans, then a meat layer such as shredded chicken, cochinita or tinga. These two layers are then covered with cheese, some vegetable and a sauce to taste.

Choose your masa and frying fat

The tortilla that forms the base of the sopes can be made with white, yellow or blue corn masa. It is fried in lard or vegetable oil so the outside turns crunchy while the inside stays softer.

Adapt the toppings to what you have

For these chicken sopes the filling is shredded chicken, and some ingredients have been adapted to those most easily available outside Mexico. The result is a delicious dish that travels straight to the heart of Mexico.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

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And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

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After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

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