Sopes Caseros (Thick Masa Bases with Beans, Chicken and Toppings)

• 350 g Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• 1 medium White onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 450 ml Water
• 1 ¼ tsp Fine sea salt
• 200 g Masa harina
• 6 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 250 g Refried beans
• 2 medium Tomato, ripe
• 1 medium Lime
• 80 g Shredded iceberg lettuce
• 80 g Queso fresco

1. Put the chicken thighs in a frying pan with half the onion, 1 garlic clove, 250 ml of the water and 0.75 tsp of the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Lift out the chicken and shred it; keep 120 ml of the cooking liquid.
2. Finely chop the remaining onion and garlic. Dice the tomatoes, then mix with the chopped onion, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt to make a quick salsa. Set aside while you cook the sopes.
3. In a mixing bowl, stir the masa harina with the remaining 200 ml water and the remaining 0.5 tsp salt until a soft dough forms. Knead for 1 minute, then cover and rest for 5 minutes so the masa hydrates. If it cracks when pressed, work in a splash more water; if sticky, dust in a little more masa harina.
4. Divide the dough into 6 balls and press each into a thick disc about 8 cm wide. Cook on a dry, hot cast-iron pan for 2 minutes per side until lightly speckled and set. While still warm, pinch the edges up all the way round to form a rim.
5. Heat 4 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sopes in batches for 45 to 60 seconds per side until the edges are crisp but the centres stay tender, adding more oil as needed. Drain briefly on a plate and keep warm.
6. Warm the refried beans with the reserved cooking liquid until spreadable, then taste and season with a little more salt if needed. Spread the beans over each sope, then top with shredded chicken, shredded iceberg lettuce and crumbled queso fresco. Spoon over the tomato salsa and finish with extra lime juice to taste.

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