This Salvadoran chicken sandwich recipe called Pan con Pollo is made using stewed chicken, bread, and fresh sliced vegetables. The chicken is stewed on the bone in a tomato sauce that tenderizes it and gives it so much flavor! Check out how to make this Salvadoran speciality below!
Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!
Recipe Origins
Pan con Pollo, also known as Panes con Pollo or Panes Rellenos, is a popular recipe in El Salvador. It’s made by stewing chicken in a tomato sauce and then serving the stewed chicken (pollo salvadoreños) on a subway sandwich roll with mayonnaise-mustard dressing, chicken, and raw vegetables.
It is an iteration of Pan con Pavo, also called Panes con Pavo or Pan con Chumpe, a similar Salvadoran recipe that uses turkey instead. It also has many of the same ingredients as this Guatemalan Pepián de Pollo, but surprisingly tastes very different!
This Salvadoran sandwich from Central America is one of the BEST sandwiches I’ve had in a long time. It’s warm and so flavorful and would be great served at a barbecue or even in the winter time! Salvadorans sell this popular street food – Elote Loco and it would make a perfect side dish here. Now you can make it at home!
It’s served on most special occasions in the country including fin de año (New Year’s Eve), año nuevo (New Years Day), and throughout the holiday season.
Why Make this Recipe
- “Travel” to El Salvador: If you’ve ever wanted to travel to El Salvador, you can! This recipe is a great way to try the flavors and experience the culture of the amazing country.
- Comforting: This stewed chicken in a sandwich is just the best. You are going to love knowing how to make this recipe!
- Flavorful: When I originally heard “stewed chicken”, I got a little nervous. In my experience, stewed chicken doesn’t always have the best flavor. But when I made this recipe, I fell head over heels in love with just how flavorful it turned out to be!
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, but don’t let that intimidate you! It’s worth the work, I promise 😉
- Chicken: You can joint the chicken yourself or you can buy a chicken that is already cut up into pieces. Use bone-in pieces but remove the skin. Make sure you have both dark meat and white meat. I used chicken legs, chicken breasts, and chicken thighs.
- Oil: I would recommend using vegetable oil because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil.
- Dried Guajillo Chiles: Guajillo chiles (also used in my Beef Rendang recipe!) are great for adding a slightly spicy & slightly fruity element to a recipe. I buy dried guajillo chiles online and then soak them in water for about 10 minutes before adding them to this recipe.
- Roma Tomatoes: Some recipes call for boiling your roma tomatoes before adding them into the food processor to make the sauce. I did not do this and my recipe turned out fine, but feel free to add this step if you’d like!
- Achiote: This is a spice that is used for both flavor and coloring in Central and South America. You can buy it at an import or spice store, and you can also buy it online. Paprika will work as a substitute in a pinch.
- Sesame Seeds: Add untoasted sesame seeds.
- Almonds: These add thickness to the sauce. I used blanched & slivered almonds because that is what I had on hand. You can also use raw almonds.
- Vegetables: Radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots are all added as finishing touches to this sandwich. You can add or subtract these vegetables as you desire.
- Romaine Lettuce: Do not skip the romaine lettuce on the bottom of this sandwich. The chicken is very saucy and will easily make your bread soggy if there is nothing in between the bread and the chicken. The romaine lettuce acts as a barrier.
- Watercress Leaves: Watercress is an herb that has a slightly peppery flavor. I was able to find mine at a local Asian grocery store.
- Bread: I got 6” subway sandwich rolls! You can also use hoagy bread or bolillo rolls.
Tools
- Dutch Oven: If you do not have a Dutch oven you can also use a large pot. Make sure you have a lid.
- Food Processor: I use a large food processor because this makes a lot of sauce. You can also use a large blender if you have one.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Chicken
Add the chicken into a large bowl. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, mustard, cumin, and black pepper. Stir around with your hands to fully coat the chicken, then set aside momentarily.
Add vegetable oil to the bottom of a dutch oven pan and allow it to heat up over medium-high heat. Add the chicken into the pot and fry in the oil for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until they are browned on each side.
To make the tomato sauce, blend the roma tomatoes, yellow onion, guajillo chilies, garlic cloves, cloves, achiote, sesame seeds, almonds, cumin, oregano, salt and water. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth.
When the chicken has fried, add the sauce you made in the blender and bay leaves. Add a lid and put the pot over medium heat. Let it cook for an hour.
After an hour, turn off the heat. Use tongs to remove the chicken meat from the bones. Discard the bones but keep the chicken in the sauce.
Step 2: Make the Dressing
Once the bones have been removed, leave the chicken covered on the stove (turned off) while you prepare the dressing.
Add all of the sauce ingredients into a bowl and use a whisk to combine.
Step 3: Prepare the Sandwiches
Prepare the sandwiches by cutting a slit in the top of the bun and opening the bun from the middle. Spread the dressing around inside the bread.
Use a piece of lettuce to line the inside of the bun. Then add the chicken & sauce into the lettuce. Place the veggies (slices of cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, watercress leaves, etc) inside the bun.
Repeat until the sandwiches are assembled. Buen Provecho!
Expert Tips
- We had extra chicken left over, so we put the leftovers in bell peppers and made stuffed peppers. The chicken leftovers would also be yummy in tacos or enchiladas.
- Wait until right before serving to assemble the sandwiches to keep them from being soggy.
- Make sure you are very careful to remove all of the bones from the bone-in chicken pieces. You don’t want anyone choking on chicken bones!
- Serve this dish with chips or fries on the side. It would also be amazing when served with vegetables like corn. You can add a favorite variation of salsa by preparing a sweet Mango Pico de Gallo too!
- Recipe researched using resources from Recetas Cocina y Paladar, La Cherada en la USA, This is Us
Variations
There are so many different ways to make Pan con Pollo, even based on the YouTube videos above! I tried to take the most common ingredients and methods and thread them into this recipe. If you make your Pan con Pollo a different way, leave me a comment letting me know your version!
Here are some variations I’ve seen that aren’t reflected in this recipe:
- Adding coleslaw to the bun instead of lettuce
- Serving each sandwich with an entire hard boiled egg (huevo duro) on top
- Not shredding the chicken off the bone and instead putting an entire drumstick on the bread
- Adding raw onion as a garnishment
- Adding soy sauce or “Salsa Inglesa” (Worcestershire Sauce)
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can cook the chicken ahead of time if you need to! Simply wait to prepare the sandwiches until you are ready to eat.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply add the desired amount to a microwave safe bowl and microwave until warm. You could also choose to heat it up on the stovetop.
Add the cooked, stewed chicken to an airtight container and keep it frozen for up to 3 months! Make sure to thaw the chicken in the fridge for a day or 2 before eating.
Did you enjoy this recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Pupusas from El Salvador
- Shrimp Soup Recipe (Sopa de Camarones) from El Salvador
- Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
- Chicken Paprikash Recipe
Pan con Pollo Salvadoreño Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Food Processor
- Tongs
- Whisk
- Oven Mitt
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Pot(s)
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 1 4 lb whole chicken, jointed (bone in, skinless)
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup yellow Mustard
- 2 tsp ground Cumin
- ½ tsp black pepper (Use code FF20 for 20% off)
- 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Sauce Ingredients
- 5 Roma tomatoes
- ½ white onion
- 2 dried Guajillo Chiles, soaked in water
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 Cloves
- 1 tsp achiote
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- ⅓ cup almonds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp ground Cumin
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (Use code FF20 for 20% off)
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 ½ tsp white vinegar
Assembly Ingredients
- 3 Tomatoes, sliced
- 1 English Cucumber, sliced into rounds
- 1 head Romaine lettuce
- 1 carrot, sliced into rounds
- 4 Radishes, sliced into rounds
- 1 bunch watercress leaves
- 8 bread buns, good ones with structure
Instructions
- Add the whole chicken into a large bowl. Sprinkle the chicken with ¾ tsp salt, ¼ cup mustard, 2 tsp cumin, and ½ tsp black pepper. Stir around with your hands to fully coat the chicken, then set aside momentarily.
- Add 3 tbsp vegetable oil to the bottom of a dutch oven pan and allow it to heat up. Add the chicken into the pot and fry in the oil for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until they are browned on each side.
- To make the sauce, blend 5 roma tomatoes, ½ a yellow onion, 2 guajillo chilies, 3 garlic cloves, 3 cloves, 1 tsp achiote, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, ⅓ cup almonds, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1 cup water. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth.
- When the chicken has fried, add the sauce you made in the blender and 2 bay leaves. Add a lid and put the pot over medium heat. Let it cook for an hour.
- After an hour, turn off the heat. Use tongs to remove the chicken meat from the bones. Discard the bones but keep the chicken in the saue.
- Once the bones have been removed, leave the chicken covered on the stove (turned off) while you prepare the sauce.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients into a bowl and use a whisk to combine.
- Prepare the sandwiches by cutting a slit in the top of the bun and opening the bun from the middle. Spread the dressing around inside the bread.
- Use a piece of lettuce to line the inside of the bun. Then add the chicken & sauce into the lettuce. Place the veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, watercress leaves, etc) inside the bun.
- Repeat until the sandwiches are assembled and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chicken: You can joint the chicken yourself or you can buy a chicken that is already cut up into pieces. Use bone-in pieces but remove the skin. Make sure you have both dark meat and white meat. I used chicken legs, chicken breasts, and chicken thighs.
- Oil: I would recommend using vegetable oil because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil.
- Dried Guajillo Chiles: Guajillo chiles (also used in my Beef Rendang recipe!) are great for adding a slightly spicy & slightly fruity element to a recipe. I buy dried guajillo chiles online and then soak them in water for about 10 minutes before adding them to this recipe.
- Roma Tomatoes: Some recipes call for boiling your Roma tomatoes before adding them into the food processor to make the sauce. I did not do this and my recipe turned out fine, but feel free to add this step if you’d like!
- Achiote: This is a spice that is used for both flavor and coloring in Central and South America. You can buy it at an import or spice store, and you can also buy it online. Paprika will work as a substitute in a pinch.
- Sesame Seeds: Add un-toasted sesame seeds.
- Almonds: These add thickness to the sauce. I used blanched & slivered almonds because that is what I had on hand. You can also use raw almonds.
- Vegetables: Radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots are all added as finishing touches to this sandwich. You can add or subtract these vegetables as you desire.
- Romaine Lettuce: Do not skip the romaine lettuce on the bottom of this sandwich. The chicken is very saucy and will easily make your bread soggy if there is nothing in between the bread and the chicken. The romaine lettuce acts as a barrier.
- Watercress Leaves: Watercress is an herb that has a slightly peppery flavor. I was able to find mine at a local Asian grocery store.
- Bread: I got 6” subway sandwich rolls! You can also use hoagy bread or bolillo rolls.
- We had extra chicken left over, so we put the leftovers in bell peppers and made stuffed peppers. The chicken leftovers would also be yummy in tacos or enchiladas.
Wait until right before serving to assemble the sandwiches to keep them from being soggy. - Make sure you are very careful to remove all of the bones from the bone-in chicken pieces. You don’t want anyone choking on chicken bones!
- Serve this dish with chips or fries on the side. It would also be amazing when served with vegetables like corn!
- Recipe researched using resources from Recetas Cocina y Paladar, La Cherada en la USA, This is Us
Kelly Taute says
Really good recipe. My BF is salvadoran and this is a dish that his family would make for lots of holidays. I followed your recipe with just a couple of tweaks. It was delicious and the salvadoran family said I hit the nail on the head.
I used 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds and 2 corn tortillas instead of the almonds and added chicken bullion to the sauce.
I added your dressing to shaved cabbage, carrots and minced onion and made a slaw of sorts.
Thank you for your delicious and authentic recipe.
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Hi Kelly, you just made my day! I’m so glad that you loved the recipe and that it got the family’s stamp of approval 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Amy Doyle says
I would add Worcestershire to the mustard mayo rub in the first step and use pumpkin seeds instead of almond but this works too! I also like to add one green bell pepper and a tbsp of chicken boullion instead of salt, blend and then add a little white wine or beer to the sauce(1/4 cup) while simmering. I used your recipe because I vaguely remembered how to make it and your version is great and pretty authentic. Thank you!
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Thank you Amy, I am so glad that you liked the recipe! Your adaptations sound great as well 🙂 Hope you enjoyed!