Tostadas de Tinga de Pollo - Chicken Tinga Tostadas

 

Ingredients

Chicken
1.5 lbs chicken breasts
5 cups of water

1 large clove of garlic

2 large bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt

1/4 onion

1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram

Sauce

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, julienned into medium slices

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1.5 lb tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped, extra to decorate

3 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 powdered chicken bouillon

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

3 cups chicken cooked and shredded **

Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve
Tostadas
Refried beans
Crema Mexicana sour cream
Cotija cheese, crumbled
Pico de Gallo, if desired
Shredded lettuce
Sliced avocado

Chopped parsley

Directions

1. Chicken. Next time: brine chicken before cooking? Add 2 cups of water to a pot and add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, and salt. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts to the simmering water to sear them. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot partially, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the breasts' size. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool off in cooking water to retain moisture. Once the chicken breasts have cooled, shred them and set them aside. 

2.  Sauce. Sautee the onions until they are transparent and then remove them from heat. Blend the garlic, tomatoes, chicken bouillon, and chipotle in a blender and add to the onions.  Cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated almost completely. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce to allow the flavors to come together. This dish is better prepared in advance. 

3. Assembly. Add refried beans to a tostada and top with the chicken tinga, Mexican sour cream, pico de Gallo, cotija cheese, lettuce, sliced avocado, or other desired toppings.