Name: Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: For the Chicken:; 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 peeled white onion, cut into quarters; 2 whole peeled garlic cloves; 12 corn tostada shells (1 pack), or soft corn tortillas, if making your own tostada shell; 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil; 1 large or 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 5 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 to 3 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce; 1 to 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, to taste; ¼ to ½ cup of water (as needed); ¾ teaspoon salt; ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon dried thyme; Shredded Iceberg lettuce; 1 (15 ounce) round queso fresco, crumbled; 1 (15 ounce) container sour cream; 3 cups of warmed refried beans

Mains

Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Author: Mary DiSomma

My Chicken Tinga recipe is the perfect dish for any casual get-together, because it’s delicious, easy to make, and feeds a lot of people. Its name might sound a little exotic to some of my fellow midwesterners out there, but I’ll give you the inside scoop on how to make this stuff right. The first time I tried chicken tinga, I was at a family reunion. We were all out on the farm having a good ol’ time, swimming, enjoying the sun, and cooking in the outdoor kitchen.

I remember when my cousin Denise walked out with the dish, the savory smells of chicken, melted cheese and adobo sauce following behind her. I stopped what I was doing and followed her to the table… and I wasn’t the only one! The next thing you know, we were breaking out the margarita maker and my mother in law, Marie, was whipping up a batch of salsa and guac. We served it all up with tortilla chips, but you can also make tacos and tortas with chicken tinga. Traditionally, it’s served on a tostada with some refried beans, fresh cream, and all the fixings.

Tips

The first time I tried chicken tinga, I was at a family reunion. We were all out on the farm having a good ol’ time, swimming, enjoying the sun, and cooking in the outdoor kitchen. I remember when my cousin Denise walked out with the dish, the savory smells of chicken, melted cheese and adobo sauce following behind her. I stopped what I was doing and followed her to the table… and I wasn’t the only one!

The next thing you know, we were breaking out the margarita maker and my mother in law, Marie, was whipping up a batch of salsa and guac. We served it all up with tortilla chips, but you can also make tacos and tortas with chicken tinga. Traditionally, it’s served on a tostada with some refried beans, fresh cream, and all the fixings.

The secret ingredient in a good chicken tinga is the chilies. Packing your adobo sauce with good chipotle peppers gives it its distinctive, smoky flavor—and the sauce makes the flavor of the peppers more rich. Now that’s teamwork. Spicy fun fact: chipotle peppers are just ripe jalapeños that have been smoked and dried. Did you know that jalapeños turn red when they’re fully ripened?

I start with just two chipotle peppers in my adobo sauce, then add more to taste. Don’t be fooled—those little guys can really pack a punch!

You can enjoy chicken tinga on tostadas, in tacos or served in a large platter with tortilla chips garnished with shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, diced avocados, and sour cream. There are no rules here, my Chicken Tinga can also be used as a taco salad, over rice, in a torta, or any sandwich—provecho!