Sopes de Pollo con Frijoles (Chicken Sopes With Beans) Recipe

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.