PocketCook

From @Brian Lagerstrom

Chicken Tinga Tostadas

35 min · Serves 4

35 mintotal
20 minhands on
18steps
4servings

Watch it

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1200 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8-10 thighs)
  • Salt

For the sauce

  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 100 g white onion, roughly chopped (about 1/2 onion)
  • 15 g garlic, sliced (about 3 cloves)
  • 25 g tomato paste (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
  • 400 g fire-roasted canned tomatoes (14.5 oz can)
  • 200 g fresh tomato, roughly chopped (about 1 tomato)
  • 200 g chicken stock (about 3/4 cup)
  • 10 g roasted chicken bouillon paste (such as Better Than Bouillon, about 1 1/2 tsp)
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo
  • 1 g dried oregano (about 1/2 tsp)
  • 20 g apple cider vinegar (about 4 tsp)
  • 8 g salt (about 1 tsp)
  • 25 g cilantro stems, finely chopped

To assemble

    For assembling

    • Tostada shells
    • Shredded little gem or romaine lettuce
    • Crema (sour cream whisked with lime juice)
    • Fresh cilantro leaves

    Method

    For the chicken

    1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

    2. Place the chicken thighs on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.

    3. Season both sides liberally with salt.

    4. Roast in the oven until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

      Then 20 min of waiting

    For the sauce

    1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the oil.

    2. Add the onion, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt.

    3. Sweat the onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent, stirring occasionally, 5–6 minutes.

      Adding salt right away draws out moisture and stops the onions from browning too fast.

    4. Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking for about 2 minutes until it darkens to a rusty red color.

    5. Add the canned fire-roasted tomatoes and stir to bring to a simmer.

    6. Add the chopped fresh tomato, chicken stock, chicken bouillon paste, chipotles in adobo, and dried oregano.

    7. Stir well to combine, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables are softened and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

      Then 15 min of waiting

    8. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar, salt, and chopped cilantro stems.

    9. Purée the sauce using an immersion blender in the saucepan until mostly smooth but still slightly rustic, about 1 minute.

      Hold the pan at an angle while blending to prevent hot sauce from splashing.

    10. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

    To assemble

    1. Once the chicken thighs are cool enough to handle, hand-shred them into bite-sized pieces about 1/2-inch wide.

      Don't over-shred or overcook the meat, or it will become thin, stringy threads that stick to your teeth.

    2. Fold the shredded chicken directly into the warm sauce and gently stir to coat completely.

    3. Briefly heat the tostada shells in the oven to crisp them up.

    4. Top each toasted shell with a generous layer of chicken tinga, shredded lettuce, a drizzle of crema, and cilantro leaves.

    5. Using chicken thighs instead of breasts prevents the meat from becoming dry or stringy when shredded and folded into the sauce.

    For assembling

      Get PocketCook

      Free. It puts this on your shopping list, keeps your place, and rings when something is ready.