A Guerrero specialty of fried tortilla boats (like small tostada bowls) filled with refried beans, topped with shredded chicken in salsa verde, crumbled cheese, crema, and sliced avocado. Distinct from molletes (the northern-Mexican bread dish), these molettes use a fried masa shell and are a coastal Guerrero antojito. Sold at markets and street stalls, particularly in Acapulco and the Costa Grande.
Los molettes guerrerenses are a regional antojito of Guerrero state, particularly the Costa Grande region around Acapulco and Zihuatanejo. The name 'molettes' (similar to 'molletes' but spelled differently) refers to the small fried masa shells that form the base. Unlike the bread-based molletes of northern Mexico (which use a bolillo roll), these use a shaped, fried tortilla shell that holds the toppings. The dish belongs to Guerrero's coastal antojito tradition, sold at beachside stalls and mercados. The toppings — beans, chicken in salsa verde, cheese, crema — are typical of coastal Mexican cooking.
A molette is a small, crisp fried masa shell (about 4 inches across) shaped like a shallow bowl, filled with a smear of refried beans, then topped with shredded chicken in tangy salsa verde, crumbled cheese, a drizzle of crema, and a slice of avocado. The shell provides crunch; the beans provide a soft base; the chicken adds savory depth; the toppings cool and bind. Eaten by hand, often two or three as a snack.
Molettes' appeal is textural. The masa shell is shaped (often by draping a tortilla over a mold or pressing into a small bowl) and deep-fried — this sets the starches into a hard, crisp bowl shape that holds the toppings without softening. The refried beans provide a moisture barrier between the crisp shell and wet toppings. The chicken in salsa verde (tomatillo-based, tangy) provides savory depth and moisture. The toppings (crema, cheese, avocado) provide cooling fat that balances the salsa's acidity. The result is a complete antojito in a single edible container.
Variations
Tinga, chorizo, or carnitas can replace the chicken; some versions add pickled jalapeños; the shell shape varies by vendor.
On the Palate
Where Molettes Guerrerenses sits in the Mexican flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
6 steps · 20 min active + 10 min waiting
- 115 min
Shape small corn tortillas into small bowl shapes by draping over a mold or pressing; deep-fry until crisp and golden.
Watch outDeep-fry the shaped tortillas until hard, crisp and golden — this rigid shell has to hold the wet toppings without going soft; pull them while still pale and they slump.
- 23 min
Spread a layer of refried beans in the bottom of each shell.
- 38 min
Top with shredded chicken in salsa verde (tomatillo-cilantro-chile).
- 43 min
Drizzle with crema; add crumbled queso fresco and a slice of avocado.
- 51 min
Optionally add a spoonful of salsa roja or a slice of pickled jalapeño.
- 61 min
Serve immediately while the shell is crisp; eat by hand.
Watch outAssemble and serve at once while the shell is still crisp — the beans buy a little time, but a filled shell softens fast.
