Guajolotas (Mexico City Tamal Sandwiches)
A Mexico City breakfast favourite: a hot chicken tamal tucked inside a crusty roll. Hearty, filling street food.
Made with Salsa ranchera and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado) and Tamale masa. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time2 hr 30
- LevelHard
- Costabout £2.84 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
Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of hot water, weighed down, for 45 minutes until soft and pliable. Drain and pat dry.
45 min - 2
Warm your ready made shredded chicken (see the base recipe) in a pan with half of your ready made salsa ranchera (see the base recipe) for 6 minutes until thick, then cool.
6 min - 3
Lay a husk with the wide end towards you. Spread 100 g of your ready made tamale masa (see the base recipe) in a thin, wide square over the wider two thirds. Spoon a quarter of the chicken down the middle. Fold the sides in, then fold up the narrow end. Make 4 large tamales.
- 4
Stand them folded end down in a steamer lined with spare husks. Steam over simmering water for 1 hour 20 minutes, topping up the water, until firm and pulling from the husk.
80 min - 5
Warm the rest of the salsa ranchera in a small pan until steaming. Split the rolls and toast them lightly, cut sides down, in the oil in a frying pan for 1 minute.
- 6
Unwrap each hot tamal and press it into a roll. Spoon over a little warm salsa and eat at once.
Tips
- Make the tamales a day ahead and simply steam them again to heat, then assemble the guajolotas in minutes.
- Choose a roll with a crisp crust. It holds the soft tamal well.
- Tamal fillings in a sandwich should be thick, so reduce the chicken and salsa until almost dry.
Storing and freezing
Keep unfilled steamed tamales in the fridge in their husks for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming until steaming hot all the way through, then fill the rolls fresh.
Questions
What does guajolota mean?
It is the Mexico City name for a tamal served inside a bread roll, sold as street food for breakfast. In other regions it may be called a torta de tamal.
Is it gluten free?
The tamal is gluten free, but the roll is not. Use a gluten free roll if you need to, and check it for milk and egg.
Can I use different fillings?
Yes. Rajas with cheese, green salsa pork or mole all work, as long as the filling is thick.
More made with salsa ranchera
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.