Tinga Tostadas
User Reviews
4.8
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
30 mins
-
Total Time
50 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
406 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Mexican
Tinga Tostadas
Description
This recipe for Tinga Tostadas begins by brining chicken breasts to retain moisture, then baking them alongside roasted tomatoes and tomatillos until cooked through. The chicken is shredded and combined with a sauce made by sautéing onion and garlic, blending with chipotles in adobo and adobo sauce, Mexican oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. The smokiness and mild heat of chipotles are central to the flavor.
The tostadas are prepared by optionally spreading refried beans, then topping with the flavorful shredded chicken mixture. Garnishes such as queso fresco or Cotija cheese, Mexican crema, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges add creaminess, freshness, and acidity to balance the dish's richness. Crispy tostada shells provide the necessary crunch to contrast the tender chicken.
Cooking the chicken with the brining step ensures a juicy texture. The option to cook chicken by other methods or use rotisserie chicken offers convenience without compromising the sauce's flavor. Chipotle seed removal is recommended for controlling heat levels. Store-bought or homemade baked tostadas can be used.
This sauce can also be utilized to make chicken tinga enchiladas, showcasing its versatility beyond tostadas.
Ingredients
- 8-10 tostada
- refried beans optional
- queso fresco or Cotija cheese, optional
- Mexican crema optional
- cilantro freshly chopped, optional
- lime wedges
- 1/4 cup salt for the brining step
For the Chicken Tinga:
- 2 chicken breast
- 2 plum tomatoes
- 4-5 tomatillos
- 1/2 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 chipotles in adobo
- 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- dash of cumin optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked
- olive oil
Instructions
- Keep in mind that you can cook the chicken any way you want or even use rotisserie chicken. For this batch I brined and baked two boneless chicken breasts. To brine the chicken, add 1/4 cup salt to a quart of water in a mixing bowl. Dissolve the salt and add the chicken breasts, letting them brine in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. If the chicken breasts aren't fully submerged then add a bit more water. Once brined, pat dry the chicken breasts and add them to a baking sheet.
- Rinse and de-stem the tomatoes and tomatillos. Add them to the same baking sheet and bake everything at 400F for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside (160F).
- Once the chicken has cooled a bit you can shred it with two forks and set aside until you need it.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop a half onion and saute in some oil over medium heat. Add four whole peeled garlic cloves and saute until the onion is starting to brown.
- Add the onion-garlic mixture to a blender along with 3 chipotles in adobo and the roasted tomatoes and tomatillos. I usually scrape out the seeds of the chipotles. Combine well and take a taste, adding more chipotles if you want more heat.
- Add the Tinga mixture back to the same pan you used to cook the onion. Add 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, a pinch of cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon of salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1-2 tablespoons of adobo sauce (optional). Bring to a simmer and take a final taste for seasoning.
- Add the shredded chicken to the Tinga sauce and let simmer until everything is at a uniform temp.
- Warm up the tostadas -- I usually put them in the oven for 2-3 minutes.
- Add a thin layer of refried beans to each tostada along with a layer of Chicken Tinga. Optional garnishes include Queso Fresco cheese (or Cotija), Mexican Crema, freshly chopped cilantro, and a final squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.
- Store leftover Tinga in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for a few days.
Notes
- Brining the chicken with 1/4 cup salt in a quart of water for about 30 minutes helps keep the meat moist.
- Chicken can be cooked by any method or substituted with rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Seed the chipotles in adobo sauce to moderate the heat if desired.
- Use kosher or sea salt for brining to avoid additives and brine the chicken in the refrigerator for safety.
- Either store-bought or homemade tostadas can be used; baking tostadas at home is a simple way to prepare them.
- The Tinga sauce also works well for making chicken tinga enchiladas.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 406 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 406kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | 12% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 72mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 1129mg | 47% |
| Potassium | 693mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 945IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 11.6mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 70mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2.3mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
You'll Also Love
