Piled high with meat, cheese, and fresh vegetables, the tripleta sandwich is a Puerto Rican standard that puts a new twist on the classic Cuban sandwich. The tripleta combines cold lunch meat with cooked pork and chicken to make a hot, filling sandwich that’s practically spilling over with ingredients.
Make one for yourself for a yummy summer meal, or pile a whole plate with them for a delicious party entrée that your family’s sure to love.
Back in Puerto Rico, the tripleta sandwich is traditionally served with a topping of fries or crispy potato sticks. If you want to give your family the authentic tripleta experience, cut up a potato into tiny shoestring fries and throw them in the fryer. Top the sandwich with the fries for an extra burst of crunch.
For a true Puerto Rican experience, add strips of fried plantain to the sandwich. It might seem like an unusual sandwich ingredient, but plantain chips are crispy and chewy and starchy, just like a potato.
You can also customize your sandwich by adding (or removing) different sauces, but don’t stray too far–part of this sandwich’s unique flavor comes from the distinct combination of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce.
This sandwich might have a few hot ingredients, but it’s actually fine to serve cold. If you prefer, you can grill the sandwich after assembly to crisp up the bread and melt the cheese; a sandwich press would work perfectly!
If you’re not going to be serving it right away, put it in the fridge for a while to keep it fresh and hold off on the condiments until it’s time to dig in.
This sandwich is a great outdoor food that’s perfect for picnics, camping trips, and backyard get-togethers. It has hot, filling ingredients like pork and chicken, but the cold, fresh ingredients keep you from feeling sluggish and weighed-down in the heat.
If you want to give your guests the chance to get creative, try setting up a “Make Your Own Tripleta” bar where they can grab a sliced baguette and pile on their own choice of ingredients and condiments.
Did this tasty sandwich make it to your dinner table? Let us know what you thought in the comments!
Puerto Rican Tripleta Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 boneless pork chop
- 1 tsp. cumin powder
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley - chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce - + more to taste
- 1 French baguette - 10" to 12”
- 3 slices smoked ham
- 3 slices Gouda cheese
- 1 tomato - sliced
- Lettuce
- Mayo
- Mustard
- Ketchup
- Salt and pepper
- Chips - optional (to serve on the side)
Instructions
- Season chicken and pork with salt, pepper, cumin, parsley, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Heat an electric skillet to 350ºF and cook the chicken and pork until fully cooked. It should take around 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through (the internal temperature should be 165°F or chicken and 145°F for pork). Alternatively, you can fry the chicken and pork in a frying pan on the stove, over medium heat.
- Cut chicken and pork into small pieces. Place in a bowl and add a little more Worcestershire sauce, to taste.
- Slice the baguette open and add some mayo, mustard and ketchup.
- Assemble sandwiches with the smoked ham slices, Gouda cheese, chicken and pork, lettuce and tomato. Cut in half to make 2 sandwiches.
- Serve with chips on the side!
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Hungry for more? Try our Grilled Halibut Tacos with Salsa Verde
This is unique and really tasty! I served a whole platter of them for our guests and they were a hit.
Thanks Lily! That’s great.
I had never heard of a tripleta sandwich before but it is very tasty!
Thank you Sierra!