Frijoles Charros con Pollo y Chorizo (Charro Beans with Chicken and Chorizo)
A smoky pot of pinto beans simmered with bacon, chorizo, tomatoes and shredded chicken, served in deep bowls with warm tortillas.
Made with Frijoles de la olla (pot beans) and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado) and Homemade Mexican chorizo. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.51 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Fry the bacon in a large heavy pot over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until the fat runs and it starts to crisp.
5 min - 2
Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook for 4 minutes. Crumble in the homemade Mexican chorizo (see the base recipe) and cook for 5 minutes.
9 min - 3
Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes until they break down.
3 min - 4
Stir in the frijoles de la olla (see the base recipe) with their cooking liquor and the broth. Simmer for 12 minutes.
12 min - 5
Add the pollo deshebrado (see the base recipe) and simmer for 3 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. Add salt to taste.
3 min - 6
Stir in most of the coriander and serve in deep bowls with the rest sprinkled over.
Tips
- Charro beans are soupy. Add more broth if they look thick and mash a few beans against the pot to thicken them if they look thin.
- The beans should already be soft. Do not boil hard or they split.
- Serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas to scoop.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 hour and chill. Keeps up to 3 days, or freeze for 3 months. Reheat until boiling hot all the way through.
Questions
What does charro mean?
Frijoles charros are "cowboy beans", a Mexican pot of beans cooked with pork products and tomato, often served as a side or soup.
Can I use tinned beans?
Yes, use 2 tins of drained pinto beans (about 480 g) and add the full amount of broth. The flavour will be a little less rich than with pot beans.
Can I leave out the bacon?
Yes. Use a little extra oil and add a teaspoon of smoked paprika for the smoky flavour.
More made with frijoles de la olla (pot beans)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.