Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Mains · Serves 6 · Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Total 1 hr
Shredded chicken simmered with sweet onions in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce, piled on crisp tostadas with beans, lettuce, avocado and crema. The tinga keeps for days, so it is easy to make ahead for a party.
Ingredients
The Tinga
- 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 clove garlic, for poaching, plus 2 more for the sauce
- 1 lb roma tomatoes (about 4)
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 1 tbsp of the adobo sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the poaching water
The Tostadas
- 12 tostadas
- 1 cup refried beans, warmed
- 2 cup shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema
Steps
The Tinga
- Put the chicken and 2 garlic cloves in a saucepan, cover with salted water and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Save 1/2 cup of the broth, let the chicken cool a bit, then shred it.
- Blend the tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, the remaining 2 garlic cloves and the reserved broth until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce, add the oregano and bay leaf, and simmer until it darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Fold in the chicken and salt and simmer until saucy but not soupy, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more chipotle if you like it hotter. Remove the bay leaf.
The Tostadas
- Spread each tostada with beans, then top with tinga, lettuce, avocado, queso fresco and a drizzle of crema. Eat right away, leaning over the plate.