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Sopes de Pollo con Frijoles (Chicken Sopes with Beans)
Note: You can use store-bought salsa verde if you'd like. Masa harina is dehydrated corn meal treated with lime. It can be found in most Latin grocers or large supermarkets. I use the Maseca brand, which is sold near the flours or in the international aisle.
Sopes de Pollo con Frijoles (Chicken Sopes with Beans)
About This Recipe
| Yield: | Makes about 16 sopes, serving 6 to 12 |
| Active time: | 1 hour |
| Total time: | 1 1/2 hours |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds bone-on, skin-on chicken breast
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 pound tomatillos
- 1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed, split in half lengthwise
- 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stem and seeds removed, split in half lengthwise
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- Kosher salt
- 2 quarts peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can refried beans, or 2 cups homemade refried beans, warmed
- 1 cup Mexican Crema, or 3/4 tablespoons sour cream mixed with 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Procedures
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1
Place chicken in a medium saucepan and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, and cook, turning chicken occasionally, until center of chicken registers 150°F on an instant read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken from broth and allow to cool.
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2
While chicken cooks, preheat broiler to high. Combine masa harina and water in a medium bowl and knead to combine. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture comes together in a cohesive, non-crumbly dough. Cover with plastic and set aside.
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3
Place tomatillos, poblano, jalapeño, and garlic, and onion on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and place under broil. Broil, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides and vegetables are completely tender, about 10 minutes.
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4
Once vegetables are broiled and chicken is cooked, transfer broiled vegetables to a blender along with the cilantro and 1 cup of reserved chicken stock (discard or use the rest for another purpose). Blend on high speed until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Set salsa aside to cool.
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5
When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a medium skillet or saucepan. Add 1 cup salsa verde and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
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6
Divide masa into approximately 16 balls. Press each ball in a tortilla-press lined with plastic into a disk approximately 1/4-inch thick and 4-inches wide. Use your fingertips to form a slight lip around the edge. Transfer raw sope shells to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper as you work.
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7
Heat oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 350°F. Fry sope shells 4 at a time until just set but not crispy, about 2 minutes. Transfer fried shells to a paper-towel lined baking sheet.
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8
To assemble, spread refried beans around the bottom of each shell then top with the chicken/salsa verde mixture. Drizzle with crema, additional salsa verde, and a sprinkling of cotija and extra cilantro leaves if desired. Serve immediately.
