Chicken Tinga Tostadas
These Chicken Tinga Tostadas are crispy, saucy, and piled high with smoky shredded chicken, refried beans, fresh toppings, and homemade tinga sauce.
Equipment
- large pot
- mixing bowl
- skillet
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
- 3 medium tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 yellow onion, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- water, enough to cover the ingredients
- 3 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, sliced
- 8 corn tostada shells
- 1 cup refried beans
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 medium avocado, diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the chicken, tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt. Add enough water to cover everything. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the tomatoes are soft.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a bowl or cutting board. Shred the chicken and set aside.
- Transfer the cooked tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft and lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes.
- Pour in the blended sauce and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken and a pinch of black pepper. Mix well and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and well coated. Adjust salt if needed.
- Assemble the tostadas by spreading refried beans over each shell, adding the chicken tinga, and topping with lettuce, tomatoes, queso fresco, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
Chicken thighs add more flavor to the broth because they have a little more fat, and they stay tender during the simmering time. Chicken breasts will also work, but remove them once they’re cooked through (165°F internally) so they don’t become dry.