Description
Spicy Mexican tostadas de tinga bring sizzling chicken flavor to your dinner table. Crisp tortillas topped with shredded chicken, zesty chipotle sauce, and fresh garnishes create a mouthwatering meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 cups (473 ml) cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or boiled)
Main Sauce and Spices:
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) cumin
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- ½ cup (118 ml) chicken broth
Cooking and Preparation Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (118 ml) white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 tostada shells (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup (237 ml) refried beans (optional, for spreading)
- ½ cup (118 ml) shredded lettuce
- ½ cup (118 ml) crumbled queso fresco (or feta)
- ½ cup (118 ml) sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup (59 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Craft a vibrant base by sautéing finely chopped onions in a skillet until they turn translucent and release their aromatic sweetness.
- Introduce minced garlic to the pan, stirring quickly to prevent burning and allowing its pungent essence to bloom.
- Pour in ripe, crushed tomatoes and create a robust sauce by incorporating smoky chipotle peppers, fragrant oregano, earthy cumin, and a pinch of salt.
- Simmer the mixture, allowing the ingredients to meld and develop a rich, complex flavor profile for approximately 5 minutes.
- Transform the sauce by blending with chicken broth, creating a smooth consistency or maintaining a rustic, chunky texture as desired.
- Return the sauce to the pan and gently fold in tender, shredded chicken, ensuring each strand is lovingly coated with the spicy, smoky sauce.
- Let the chicken tinga simmer and absorb the vibrant flavors, allowing the sauce to thicken and intensify for 5-10 minutes.
- The result should be a succulent, deeply flavored chicken mixture ready to crown your crispy tostada shells.
Notes
- Achieve the perfect sauce consistency by blending the tomato mixture to your preferred smoothness, ranging from slightly chunky to completely smooth.
- For a leaner version, swap chicken thighs with chicken breast, but be careful not to overcook to maintain moisture and tenderness.
- Enhance the smoky flavor by roasting the tomatoes and chipotle peppers briefly before creating the sauce, which deepens the overall taste profile.
- Prepare the chicken tinga ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, allowing flavors to meld and intensify for even more delicious results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg