These chicken tinga tostadas (tostadas de tinga) are loaded with tender chipotle chicken and all your favorite toppings, a comforting Mexican style meal. So quick and easy!
Tostadas de Tinga (Chicken Tinga Tostadas Recipe)
We've just made a big batch of Chicken Tinga in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. You know what that means?
It means Chicken Tinga Tostadas! Come on over, we made a lot.
Tostadas are a comforting and convenient meal to enjoy on weeknights when you don't want a lot of fuss, and they always hit the spot. Patty's eyes light up every time I mention tostadas, so we make them quite often.
These tinga tostadas are loaded with lots of spicy, smoky chipotle flavor with the chicken draped over a layer of thick refried beans, then loaded up with your favorite toppings. You can't miss with this dish.
The great thing about chicken tinga is that you can make a large batch and freeze the leftovers to enjoy later. I do this in small portions for quick and easy lunches, perfect for tacos and tostadas.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! It's definitely one of Patty's favorites.
Let's talk about how to make chicken tinga tostadas, shall we?
Tostada de Tinga Ingredients
The full ingredient list with measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE CHICKEN TINGA
- Vegetable Oil. For the pan.
- Vegetables. Onion, jalapeno peppers, garlic.
- Chicken. I'm using chicken thighs, though you can use chicken breast, or a mix.
- Tomato Sauce.
- Chipotles in Adobo.
- Seasonings. Mexican oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper.
- FOR THE TOSTADAS
- Tostada Shells.
- Refried Beans. Canned is good, or use my easy refried beans recipe.
- Your Favorite Toppings. I'm using jalapeno slices fresh chopped cilantro chopped tomato, chili flakes, hot sauce, and avocado crema. Use your favorites!
How to Make Chicken Tinga Tostadas - the Recipe Method
FOR THE CHICKEN TINGA DE POLLO
Cook the Vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the onions and jalapeno peppers. Cook them down for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Sear the Chicken. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Give them a nice sear on each side, a couple minute each.
Make the Tinga Sauce. Process the tomato sauce and chipotles in adobo sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pan, covering the chicken.
Stir in the seasonings.
If you'd like to thin your tinga sauce, swirl in a bit of water or chicken broth.
Simmer the Chicken. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and easily pulls apart.
Shred the Chicken. Remove the chicken and shred it with a couple of forks.
Return the chicken to the pan and simmer in the sauce another 5 minutes.
FOR THE TOSTADAS
Warm the Tostada Shells. Warm the tostadas (either in a microwave or in a heated pan) to your liking.
Refried Beans. Spread warmed refried beans over them.
Chicken and Toppings. Spoon chicken tinga onto the tortillas, then top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Boom! Done! Your tostadas de tinga are ready to serve. Don't you want to just dig in? We love tostadas in our home. They're always on the menu.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Store bought tostada shells make this recipe more convenient, but consider making homemade corn tortillas from scratch and learn how to make crispy tortillas for superior flavor.
- Have fun with your toppings, as they really make the meal! Try shredded lettuce, cotija cheese, queso fresco, avocado, guacamole, so many options!
- As variation, make this recipe with ground beef, turkey, or pork instead.
Storage
Chicken tinga will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily warm the chipotle chicken in a pan to make tostadas anytime you'd like.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months. It freezes perfectly, and I do this all the time.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this chicken tinga tostadas recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Tostadas de Tinga (Chicken Tinga Tostadas Recipe)
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN TINGA
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs (chicken breast is good too)
- 16 ounce can tomato sauce
- 7 ounce can chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE TOSTADAS
- 12 tostada shells
- 1 can refried beans warmed (or use my easy refried beans recipe)
- Your Favorite Toppings (I'm using jalapeno slices fresh chopped cilantro chopped tomato, chili flakes, hot sauce, and avocado crema. Use your favorites!)
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN TINGA
- Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the onions and jalapeno peppers. Cook them down for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Give them a nice sear on each side, a couple minute each.
- Process the tomato sauce and chipotles in adobo sauce in a food processor, then pour the mixture into the pan, covering the chicken.
- Stir in the seasonings.
- Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and easily pulls apart.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with a couple of forks.
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer in the sauce another 5 minutes.
FOR THE TOSTADAS
- Warm the tostadas (either in a microwave or in a heated pan) to your liking.
- Spread warmed refried beans over them.
- Spoon chicken tinga onto the tortillas, then top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Kozmo says
This is great. I used adobo sauce instead of chipotles in adobo cuz I didn't realize that was what I had in my pantry. Left the jalapeño seeds in. I just chopped; didn't process. Heat level was 3 out of 4, which I love.
Mike, I enjoy spicy food like you. I also enjoy spicy wine, beer, art, culture, and people. I also have an insensitive palette so I don't recognize subtle flavors. I often wonder which came first. Is spicy food just my natural preference or did I burn my taste buds out so I need spicy food to taste?
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Kozmo. It's a good question, and hard to answer. It also applies to myself. I enjoy subtle flavors and milder foods, but there's something about the POW of bold spices that rings all the bells for me. I feel the more you consume it, the more you want, and you build up a tolerance. It's all a bit addictive. You might never know which came first, but you can know that it perpetuates, regardless of how you got there. Cheers!
Lawrence says
AWESOME! Not the biggest fan of chipotle in adobo so I used hatch chiles & followed the recipe from there!!!! I b makn’ this stuff for many more moons!
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use mushrooms i never had tostadas de tinga before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work