Chori Pollo is a delicious baked chicken and chorizo recipe that has all your favorite Tex-Mex flavors in one dish. Chicken breasts bake in the oven surrounded by a sauce of pork chorizo, cream cheese, and green chilis. This is the best chorizo recipe I have ever made at home and a great low-carb or keto dinner idea!
Why I Love this Chori Pollo Recipe
When I was in Dallas last month, I made a complete pig of myself when I ate at Pappasitos. That restaurant is reason enough to move to Texas. I couldn’t stop eating 🙂 Well, that was 35 days ago and I have been on a rampage for some good Tex-Mex ever since. We had a new Mexican restaurant open last week in our town, so I got all excited. My excitement was quickly replaced with disdain. Bleh…..
As a result, I became a woman on a mission. I needed to come up with a recipe to fill this Tex-Mex/Pappsitos craving, or I was going to die. Yes, die. Recipe inspiration finally struck at Wal-Mart as I stood in front of the refrigerated Latin food section. I am not one to brag, but HOLY COW!!! I am a genius! Really, just give this Chori Pollo recipe a try and you will want to nominate me to the Nobel committee. Genius, I tell you!
My Chori Pollo creation took boring old chicken breasts and turned them into flavor-packed perfection. This chicken recipe creates the most amazing pan sauce which is heaven when you serve it over some rice.
Then if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, take it to the next level and slap the chicken inside a tortilla topped with some guacamole, fresh salsa, lettuce, and a squeeze of lime juice. Chori pollo tacos for the win! Really….you are going to want to have that Nobel committee’s phone number handy.
What is Chori Pollo?
In English, chori pollo translates to chorizo chicken. There are many recipe variations but the main two ingredients are chicken and pork chorizo sausage, which includes a mixture of strong Mexican spices. In chori pollo, the chicken and spicy sausage are cooked together, giving the bland chicken a lot of flavor it wouldn’t have on its own. It can be made with either chicken breast or thigh meat.
Chori Pollo Ingredients
While the seasonings and sauce ingredients can vary from recipe to recipe, this chori pollo recipe creates a gorgeous, creamy pan sauce as it bakes. Serve it just like it is, or over some rice with a generous drizzle of that sauce.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Pork chorizo sausage
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Canned diced tomatoes with green chilis
- Cotija cheese
How to Make Chori Pollo?
Oftentimes, you’ll prepare chori pollo in one pan on the stove. For this recipe, you’ll cook the chorizo and sauce on the stove, then finish the dish in the oven. I love cooking like this because it allows me to walk away from a dish as it cooks.
- Cook the chorizo in a large skillet on the stove until cooked all the way through. Do not drain.
- Add the tomatoes and cheese to the chorizo to create the chori pollo sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken into a large casserole dish and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Serve on its own or over some steamed rice.
Chori Pollo Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use regular pork sausage in this recipe and it will be completely delicious. However, it will not be chori pollo. You have to use chorizo sausage for that authentic-tasting dish in the end. Most grocery stores carry a few different varieties of chorizo in their Latin section of the refrigerated foods. And if not, don’t hesitate to ask your grocery store manager if they can order you some!
Cotija cheese is made from cow’s milk and is often called the parmesan cheese of Mexican food because it is just as salty as the classic Italian cheese. Most grocery stores have it in their Latin section of the refrigerated groceries so look there. If not, feel free to use fresh parmesan cheese instead…just not that fake stuff in the green cans, please!!
Reading how to pronounce a phrase in another language is rarely helpful. Hearing it is the only way to go. So, here is a link to the pronunciation ==> How To Pronounce Chori Pollo. If that doesn’t help, just call it chicken chorizo instead and you’ll be good to go!
If you are eating a low-carb or keto diet, chori pollo is an amazing recipe because it only has 4 grams of carbohydrates in each serving. That includes one whole chicken breast and the creamy chorizo sauce as well. It’s a large serving of delicious protein for a very low carb count.
Chori is the word for chorizo sausage. Classic chorizo is made with pork, but you can also find it made with chicken, organ meat, or plant-based meat substitutes. As far as seasonings, that is dependent on where the chori is made. Generally, it is seasoned with garlic, smoked paprika, chilis, annatto seed, and either white wine or vinegar. All of these ingredients make for an amazing chicken recipe!
Yes, chori pollo makes a great freezer meal. To do so, you’ll prepare the chorizo sauce from the recipe, then assemble the dish in a heavy-duty aluminum pan with a lid. Using these disposable pans frees up your good pans for whatever else you need them for. Do not bake the dish as directed in the recipe. Instead, cover with plastic wrap, then the foil lid. Mark the lid with directions for baking, the name of the recipe, and the date. To prepare the dish, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 2-3 days then follow the baking directions as listed in the recipe below.
If you are lucky enough to have some leftover chori pollo, package up the chicken into airtight containers while the leftovers are still warm. Allowing the leftovers to cool before putting them in the fridge allows bacteria the chance to grow and no one wants potential food poisoning! Store your leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Leftovers make great chori pollo tacos or burritos! In fact, this is one of those magic recipes that is actually more delicious on day two than it was on day one!
What to Serve with Chori Pollo?
Honestly, just think of your favorite Mexican side dishes and you will be good to go! Listed below are my favorite recipes to serve with chori pollo:
- Cilantro Lime Rice is absolutely perfect with this recipe because a delicious pan sauce forms as the chicken bakes. Just drizzle it over the rice!
- Homemade Flour Tortillas make the perfect vehicle for mopping up the sauce and juices off your plate or scooping up some chori pollo into one.
- Mexican Barley Salad is a healthy, flavor-packed salad that is completely delicious with this chicken. The crunchy pieces of fresh jicama are my favorite!
- Tomatillo Avacado Ranch Dressing with a simple green salad makes the perfect healthy pairing.
Looking For More Great Mexican Recipes?
Chori Pollo Recipe
This chicken casserole is an amazing chorizo recipe! A creamy, cheese sauce with the cooked pork chorizo bakes with the chicken for a low carb dinner recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 6–8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 if large, 8 if small)
- 10 ounce package pork chorizo
- 4 ounces light cream cheese or Mexican crema
- 1/2 C light sour cream
- 10 ounce can chopped tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 1/4 C fresh cotija cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 glass pan with nonstick spray. Lay down the chicken evenly in the pan.
- In a large skillet, brown the chorizo over medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes, cream cheese, and sour cream and mix until it is all blended.
- Spread the chorizo mixture over the chicken breasts, sprinkle on the cotija cheese and bake, uncovered for about 45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts. There will be enough pan juices to serve over some rice if desired. Or slice the chicken and serve it inside a tortilla topped with your favorite toppings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 breast
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 792 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 161 mg
Keywords: Chori pollo, Chori Pollo recipe
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
This sounds awesome!! Pinned it to try 🙂
Jeanna Whittington says
Another recipe of yours I want to try 🙂
I tried the Parmesan chicken bake for dinner last night and it was Delicious!!
https://stitchedteganjewelry.blogspot.com/
Erin says
Do you drain the chorizo? And what do you do with the parmesan cheese?
TJS says
no drain and “sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and bake”….
Carole says
I do not drain the chorizo, but I’m sure you could if you wanted. The cheese gets sprinkled on top. Sorry about that 🙂
Aimee Powers says
this looks delish my hubby would love this! so great to see another marshall blogger!!!! howdy neighbor we are from marshall also
Katie says
Hi Carole! I found your blog via pinterest, and I really enjoyed this recipe (so much so that I used it on my blog). 🙂 Don’t worry….I definitely gave you credit (and linked here). Take care!
Michelle says
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was way tasty! My husband loves anything with Chorizo in it, and he gobbled this right up. The parmesan cheese adds great texture and flavor. It is quite spicy, and I am kind of a wimp, but it tastes so good! Thanks for sharing!
Petie S. says
Greetings! I too live in MN (St. Paul) and have been here for 18 years…native So. Cal. girl. Oh I too miss Mexican and have had to learn to fend for myself with regard to mexican/tex mex food. Try Homesick Texan cookbook, lots of awesome recipes. Like your blog…just stumbled upon it. Blessings!
mkenzio says
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I make this once a week! Served with a black bean dish and some guacamole is our favorite.
Edits: I usualy use a cheddar cheese and I don’t put it on until the last ten minutes or so.
Adivce: Watch your time. It is usually plenty done after 45 mins. Maybe it’s just my oven.
Sherry Donahe says
Pappasitos is the best!!!!! Pappas Seafood is awesome too if you ever get the chance to try one of them!
Jennifer says
I make this about once a month now, after finding your recipe. My whole family loves it, even the picky 4 yr old! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Arlene Herron says
Made this tonight and my husband and I looooved it! Soo good! Can’t wait to make it again.
Dawn says
This was absolutely delicious!!! I give this an A++++ and it was super easy to make too!
Thank you,
Dawn
So glad you loved it Dawn! Thanks for coming back to share your results -Carole
karen says
I am beside myself right now… I just jumped on pinterest to affirm my idea from the other day.
Now, I don’t normally buy my food at Walmart, but I basically had the same exact experience as you when I was at Walmart two days ago!!!
I was so jazzed on the idea of the churizo that I was practically dancing through the aisles as I left.
I’m about to start my version of this recipe right now!!!
Let me know how it turns out Karen! -Carole
Lana says
Thank you for this recipe! My gf passed yesterday and I knew I had to cook but I couldn’t think straight. Her daughter enjoyed it a lot and was grateful. Gave her the recipe and we both laughed because she was expecting 15 million different ingredients and technique haha Thank you!
So sorry for your loss Lana! I’m glad the dish went well for you and that her daughter enjoyed it as well
crr777 says
What type of rice would ypu serve this with? Amazing recipe
Since it makes a nice pan sauce, just some plain steamed rice would be fine if you pour some of the sauce over the top
Tanya says
do you cook the chicken before you put the mixture over it? If so, what’s the best way to cook the chicken, boil, fry, grill, etc?
No Tanya. Just follow the directions exactly and it will turn out great
Megan says
Made this last night for our dinner party! It was a hit! Shared this on my blog today!
So glad it worked for your party! It looks like quite the spread you provided -Carole
christian says
Can this be done in a crock pot?
I have never done it in a crock pot Christian. I am sure it would work, but the end result would probably be quite soupy. If you do try it, please come back and let me know how it turned out for you!
Merle says
This is so good. The smell alone is amazing. Thank you for this one.
Thanks Merle!
Rachel says
this is a delicious recipe! I made it a few weeks ago but couldn’t come up with the right thing to serve with it since my husband won’t eat rice. We did tortillas but there was just something missing. So I decided to try again this time with homemade potato chips. And it was perfect. It was like nachos but so much better!! This will definitely become something we eat at least once a month!
Wow Rachel….homemade potato chips! I think we could be besties 🙂
Katrina says
Made this tonight for dinner, the whole family loved it! Just have one question, mine came out a tad soupy, I followed the directions exactly but didnt use light cream cheese. Any idea what it could be?
Hi Katrina! I don’t think you did anything wrong. If you read the post, I do talk about the sauce that is made in the pan. If you don’t like that sauce, cook it in two pans so there is space enough between the chicken breasts for the liquid to evaporate. -Carole
Claudia says
Way to heavy and fatty, tried it cause it looked amazing but had my stomach sick for the past few days. The combination on mayo, sourcream, cream cheese and chorizo is not something my stomach could handle.
That is a bummer Claudia. You might want to double check if you made the recipe right because my recipe does not call for any mayo. Just chicken, chorizo, cream cheese and sour cream. -Carole
kim donegan says
This is a great low carb dish. Amazing taste and super filling. However do u have any low carb side dish suggestions? I can’t have rice, potatoes, chips, or tortillas.
Hi Kim! I’m so glad you enjoyed my recipe and I often make it into tacos using large pieces of lettuce instead of a tortilla. You could also try my garlic roasted cauliflower, which is outstanding https://www.mykitchenescapades.com/oven-roasted-cauliflower/
regene says
It was Delicious I added cilantro and it just set it right off!!! my new fav chicken
I’m so glad to hear it Regene! I’m going to have to try some cilantro as well next time I make it -Carole
Teresa says
I make this all the time! So delicious! Now I shared with my friends and they love it too. I love adding fresh Serrano out of my garden. Thanks for sharing!
You are very welcome Teresa and I love the addition of the Serrano!
Maxine says
My great grandson who is 13 told me today that his Mother had made him Chorizo Chicken. He bragged and bragged about it. He said it was the best thing his Mother had ever made and if you make it it will be your favorite recipe. I went on a search for the recipe. I could not find anything like he described. I finally found this recipe and think it may be the one except he said it had Spanish Rice in it. Maybe the Spanish Rice was a side dish. He said it had cream cheese, sour cream, and Rotel tomatoes. This has got to be the recipe and I have got to make it and report back to you!!! I hate it when people comment on a recipe that they haven’t try yet. But I just couldn’t resist sharing what my grandson had said.
I hope this is the one Maxine! If not, at least I hope he likes it 🙂
Maxine says
I don’t know anything about Chorizo Sausage. The only thing I could find was Ole Mexican Foods Chorizo Sausage. It is 16oz. (More than you stated but I can fix that.) . It has 6 links in the package. It says to remove casing before cooking. Is that the way you do it? Is it crumbly like hamburger meat. Or do you slice it and cook it like that?
You remove the casing and cook it like ground beef. Good luck Maxine!
Susan says
Has anyone tried to add veggies in it while it cooks? We were going to grill red peppers and onions as a side, but now it is raining and we are thinking of slicing the peppers and onions and adding them on top of the chicken? Does this sound doable or will the added moisture mess it up?
Great question Susan. I worry about the added liquid and that your veggies will end up mushy. I would sauté them on the stove separately
Susan says
Thanks. You are probably right. I am trying to be lazy, but this looks so good and I don’t want to mess it up. 🙂
Sam says
Sorry was a bit lost is this with precooked Chicken breast or raw ??
Hey Sam! You should use raw chicken. Good luck!
Mea says
Made this last night, loved it!! I used a bag of boneless chicken thighs from HEB’s frozen section, thawed and seasoned first with Mrs. Dash and some Tony Chachere’s. While the chorizo cooked, I mixed 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese with a tablespoon of lemon juice in place of the sour cream, since I didn’t have any. This recipe was so quick and easy and the meat was quite tender and bursting with flavor. I love how the recipe and servings can vary based on: slicing of the meat, the type of tomato/green chilies used (mild, regular, chipotle), adding garlic or cilantro, subbing or adding Mexican blend or Pepperjack cheese for the Pamesan. I can see adding a layer of tortilla chips somewhere in there before cooking or for a healthier version, some riced cauliflower. I might serve as burritos or inside a taco shell. You can even slice up the chicken & add drained whole corn and black beans and serve as a casserole. Maybe even after adding corn/beans, cook as directed for 30 minutes and then pour some cornbread batter on top and finish cooking for a Chorizo Chicken Cornbread!! The sky is the limit. I will make this many times over. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Mea! Thank you for sharing your tips and suggestions
Tiffany says
Made this dish for my family but cut it in half (only two adults and a picky little toddler.) I found it to be delicious. But a word of caution to anyone else who decides to cut it in half, do NOT cut the sauce ingredients in half. You’ll want all that extra delicious sauce for your meat and starches!
Thanks for your tip Tiffany!
Marina says
This sounds so yummy and can’t wait to make it but I do have one question. There are two kinds of Chorizo that I use for different purposes so curious, do you use the one the stays more chunky or the type that pretty much becomes more like a thick liquid when heated? My brother and I always fight over which type is better!!!
Either will work just fine Marina! I used the looser type because I wanted it to be part of the sauce better.
Rachel says
I made this for dinner tonight, with only small modifications to keep it lower carb. I used spicy chorizo and replaced the tomatoes with some chopped jalapeños from a jar (because that’s what I had). I also cut the chicken breast a little thinner and only baked it 35 minutes. I had the chorizo already fried, so I just warmed it with the other toppings in the microwave until it was easy to stir/mix thoroughly. I was glad the topping stayed on the chicken and the juices in the pan ran clear because it was easy to pull the chicken out without eating the juice (since we don’t like chicken juice for whatever reason.) Overall, I’ll be making this again! It was so good.
I’m glad you made it work for you Rachel!
Shellice says
Has anyone ever made this recipe with bone in chicken thighs? I normally use thighs in place of breasts in recipes. Much more juicy and flavorful. And I would love to make this using thighs. I’m thinking par bake the thighs to crisp up the skin, then pour the chorizo mixture on top and finish baking. But any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Hey Shellice! I love using thighs for the same reason you do. I don’t think skin on the meat will work even if you crisp them first. I would use either skinless thighs or boneless, skinless thighs.
Shellice says
Yes. I was thinking that also. But maybe if I made the chicken as a separate component? It would no longer be like a casserole, but I was more interested in your chorizo sauce. Sounds amazing! Put cream cheese in anything and I’m game. I’m making it tonight for dinner with warm flour tortillas. I will leave feedback on how it turns out. I don’t like to comment when I stray too much from someone’s recipe on their blog. Most people don’t respond well to that, but you’ve been really receptive to other posts with substitutions. And that’s a breath of fresh air let me tell ya.
ARIA says
Hi I was just curious to know do you season the chicken or just follow the recipe as is??? I am use to seasoning with different spices so I’m just wondering lol
Hi Aria! I created the recipe just as I wrote it 🙂
Mari says
I know you posted this recipe a while ago, but I have to comment! Twice a week DH is in charge of dinner (he’s the one who found this recipe) and he surprised me with this one night. WOW. I *love* this! He’s made it multiple times – even our picky eater loves it. We’ve added baby potatoes to the recipe, just throw them in with everything else and bake. I would totally nominate you for a Nobel prize! 🙂
Thanks for the laugh Mari! I’m so glad it is such a hit and I love the idea of adding potatoes. I will definitely give that a try next time.
Stacie says
Would this work with link chorizo chopped up instead of ground chorizo?
Hey Stacie! It would work, but the sauce itself would be different. I would chop the links as small as you can. Good luck!
Ashley says
Just wondering if Mozzarella cheese would work instead of cream cheese? That’s usually the only cheese hubby can handle.
Hey Ashley! The cream cheese makes a sauce so unfortunately, mozzarella wouldn’t cut it. If he isn’t a fan of the flavor, you don’t taste the cheese as it is mixed with the chorizo and tomatoes to make the sauce.
Kendra says
Hi do you know the calories and carbs for this dish? Thank you I’m adv
Hi Kendra! I don’t have that info but there are a ton of great online nutrition calculators you could use if you need that info.
Annikakes says
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Thank you!
Glad you loved it as much as we do!
Tracey L Myerchin says
Macros?
Hi Tracey! I don’t have that information but there are many amazing nutritional calculators online that you can find that information if you need it.
Kelly says
This has become one of our family favorites and I make it at least once a month. Guests always love it too. Thank you so much for sharing such an easy and delicious recipe.
Thanks Kelly for coming back and sharing your feedback!
Carrie says
I make this using 3 chicken breasts and I use half the tube of chorizo and leave off the parmesan but this is definitely a family favorite and has been for quite sometime. I just got around to browsing through recipes and can’t wait to try some of your others!!
Glad you make it work for your family Carrie! And thanks for browsing 🙂
Yeci says
This recipe sounds delicious ! If I omit the sour cream will it affect the outcome of the sauce ?
Yes, it will. You could substitute plain yogurt instead!
Jenny says
Your recipe reached us here in Canada! I made this dish for a cozy lunch to warm up to and it did not disappoint! I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Yea! So glad to hear it Jenny. Thanks for coming back and leaving a review
Marie says
Can I freeze this before baking?
Yes, but you will need to let it completely thaw before you bake it
Susan says
This was absolutely delicious! Love how savory it is, and it’s low carb! The only change I made was to use three good-sized chicken breasts that I pounded a little thinner, enough where all three laid in the pan covered the bottom of the 9×13 baking dish. So, I didn’t need 6-8 breasts. Otherwise, I followed it as written. We will be making this again and often!
Thanks so much Susan for coming back and leaving both a review as well as your version. They help out so much
Leonard says
Everything turned out perfectly. Thank you for sharing!
Fernando says
This was very good. Thank you.
Irving says
Howdy! This recipe could not be much better!
Thanks for sharing!