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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Servings:

Equipment

Large Pot
Mixing Bowl
Skillet
Blender

Ingredients

For Chicken Tinga

1½ lbs chicken thighs boneless & skinless
3 medium tomatoes halved
½ yellow onion quartered
3 garlic cloves 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
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup yellow onion sliced

For Tostadas

8 corn tostada shells
1 cup refried beans
1 cup shredded lettuce
½ cup tomatoes diced
¼ cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija
½ 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 ¼ cup of the cooking liquid to a blender. Blend until smooth. (Add the chicken stock only if needed, otherwise, the sauce may be more than required.)
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.

Nutrition