Chicken and Cheese Pupusas

Chicken and Cheese Pupusas

Chicken and Cheese Pupusas

Pupusas are the national dish of El Salvador. They are made of masa flour dough, traditionally stuffed with beans, cheese, chicharones, or chicken, then flattened into a disc shape and fried. These are a lot of work to make. That is why it’s best to make a large batch of them to freeze down.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Salvadoran
Keyword: Chicken, Latin American, main course, Salvadoran, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • tortilla press
  • food processor

Ingredients

Pupusa Filling

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs diced into small cubes
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 medium white onion diced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 green onion finely chopped
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp mexican oregano
  • 1/2 cup queso or cheddar cheese grated
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco crumbling cheese

Pupusa Dough

  • 8 cups masa flour
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • warm water

Pupusa Toppings

  • shredded cabbage or lettuce
  • real Mexican sour cream
  • sliced tomato
  • cilantro
  • hot sauce

Instructions

Pupusa Fillling

  • Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in the onions, red bell pepper, and green onion. Sauté for 5 minutes.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Add in the chicken and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and Mexican oregano.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Cook for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Let cool and set aside.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Add the chicken filling to a food processor. Give it a couple pulses; just enough to chop it up a little more. Don’t over pulse it. You do not want a paste.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Add both of the cheeses to the chicken mix.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Mix thoroughly. Put in the refrigerator until it is chilled and ready for use.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken

Pupusas Dough

  • Mix together the masa flour and salt. Slowly add enough warm water until it forms a dough; similar to the feeling of firm mashed potatoes. Roll into 2” balls. Cover with wet paper towel until ready to use.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken

Chicken and a Cheese Pupusas Assembly

  • Take a single dough ball and place on the center of a tortillas press.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Press it down until it is 1/2’ thick. Remove and do it again to another dough ball.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Add a heaping tablespoon of the filling to the center of the pressed dough.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Place the other pressed dough over the filling; giving it a slight crimp around the edges.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Press it down until it is a little more than a 1/2” thick.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Layer these in between wax patty paper sheets so they don’t stick together. My recipe yields about 20 pupusas. Store whatever you don’t cook in freezer bags.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Heat up 1 tbsp of cooking oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in a pupusa.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Cook for 4 minutes a side.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken
  • Serve over shredded cabbage or lettuce. Top with real Mexican sour cream, thinly sliced tomatoes, cilantro, and a hot sauce to your liking.
    Salvadoran, main course, snack, chicken