Sopes con Pollo en Chile Colorado (Thick Masa Cakes with Red Chicken)
Thick, pinched corn masa cakes crisped in the pan and piled with beans, red chilli chicken and cool crumbled cheese.
Made with Chile colorado sauce and Refried beans (frijoles refritos) and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.91 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
Mix the masa harina, salt and warm water into a soft dough that feels like play dough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
15 min - 2
Divide into 12 balls. Press each into a disc 8 cm across and about 1 cm thick between two sheets of baking paper.
- 3
Cook the discs in a dry non stick pan over a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes a side until set and flecked with brown. While still warm, pinch up a low rim around each edge with your fingers.
4 min - 4
Brush the sopes with oil and fry in a pan for 2 minutes per side until crisp outside and soft inside. Keep warm in a low oven.
4 min - 5
Warm your shredded chicken (see the base recipe) in your ready made chile colorado sauce (see the base recipe) for 6 minutes until hot and coated. Warm your refried beans (see the base recipe).
6 min - 6
Spread each sope with beans, then top with the chilli chicken, lettuce, queso fresco and a drizzle of soured cream. Serve at once.
Tips
- Pinch the rim up while the sopes are still hot from the first cook. Cold masa cracks.
- Keep the dough covered. It dries out quickly and then cracks when pressed.
- Spread beans all the way to the rim so the toppings do not slide off.
Storing and freezing
Eat straight away. Cooked sopes bases keep 2 days in the fridge and re-crisp in a hot pan. Keep the chicken in sauce for up to 2 days, reheated until steaming hot.
Questions
What is the difference between a sope and a tostada?
A sope is a thick, soft masa base with a pinched rim, fried lightly. A tostada is a thin tortilla fried flat until crisp. Sopes hold more toppings.
Are sopes gluten free?
Yes, as long as the masa harina is plain corn. Check the label for added wheat flour in some shop brands. Check the beans and sauce stock too.
Can I make them without a tortilla press?
Yes. Press the balls between two sheets of baking paper with the bottom of a flat pan or a heavy plate.
More made with chile colorado sauce
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.