Tinga Chicken Mini Tostadas Recipe

If you want to bring a Mexican flair to your table, Food Republic recipe developer Julie Kinnaird has a winning suggestion. Her tinga chicken mini tostadas recipe is sure to satisfy those cravings and more. Kinnaird shares, "These are perfect appetizers to serve as party fare or part of a Mexican-themed buffet or tablescape." If you're less interested in mini and want to go the maxi route, she points out, "The recipe could also be converted to using larger tortillas, making them a suitable main dish."

Thanks to a range of spices and seasonings, as well as a poaching method, the chicken develops a rich taste while retaining moisture. "My favorite aspect of this recipe is the incredible depth of flavor that comes from the poaching liquid with the dried chiles," Kinnaird explains. Some simple garnishes like pico de gallo and guacamole add to the layers of taste, and a final sprinkling of Cotija cheese makes it all pop. Whether you invite a group of friends for a feast or turn this into a delicious dinner for a few, you can't go wrong with these tinga chicken mini tostadas.  

This recipe calls for boneless and skinless chicken breasts, a chopped white onion, and peeled garlic cloves. Next, you'll need bay leaves, guajillo chiles (remove the stems and seeds), kosher salt, large plum tomatoes, olive oil, ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano, and chipotles in adobo sauce (set some of the sauce from the can aside).

For the pico de Gallo, remove the stems from some radishes and cut them into small matchsticks. Next, you'll need to remove the stems and seeds from a medium serrano chile and mince it. Chop fresh cilantro and mint leaves and finely slice scallions. Squeeze some fresh lime juice and get out the olive oil and kosher salt.

Finally, to assemble the dish you'll need 6-inch corn tortillas, olive or canola oil spray, kosher salt, large ripe avocados (halve them and remove the pits), the juice of a large lime, and crumbled Cotija cheese.

Kinnaird raves, "The chiles add so much color and spice that infuses the chicken and sauce," and further notes that "the chipotles in adobo sauce add a punch of smokiness which contrasts so well with the refreshing radish pico de gallo." Extra flavor is great but she warns, "Readers should be careful about handling the dried chiles when removing the stems and seeds, as they tend to be spicy. Wearing gloves or washing hands and avoiding touching [your] eyes or face is important."

Place the chicken breasts in a large pot along with half of the chopped onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, chiles, and salt. Pour in enough water so that the chicken is completely submerged. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and cover with a lid. "Poaching the chicken in this dish is really the key," Kinnaird explains and notes that "an incredible flavor profile [is] developed in the chicken in a short amount of time," and equally important, "it keeps the meat really moist."

Simmer the chicken for 50 minutes or so, until it shreds apart easily when tested with a fork. At this point, transfer the breasts to a plate to cool, then shred the meat. 

Remove the tomato cores with a small paring knife then add them to the pot with the seasonings. Bring the contents back to a boil and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep the pico de Gallo by combining the radishes, serrano chile, chopped cilantro and mint, sliced scallions, lime juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season it to taste then set the pico aside. When the tomato skins start to burst and the flesh softens, turn the burner off and set the pot aside. 

Pour the olive oil into a large sauté pan and heat it until it starts to shimmer. Toss in the rest of the chopped onion, as well as the cumin and oregano. Cook the onions while regularly stirring for about 5 minutes or until they become translucent, then turn off the heat. 

Toss the sautéed onions, tomatoes, chiles, 1 cup of cooking liquid from the pot, and the chipotles with extra adobo sauce into a food processor or blender. Puree the ingredients until a smooth mixture forms. Transfer it into the sauté pan and stir in the shredded chicken to coat. Cook the contents over medium-low heat to warm the chicken and sauce.

While the chicken is warming in the sauce, preheat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a round cookie cutter, slice two to three circles from each corn tortilla. Transfer the rounds to the baking sheet and spritz them lightly with the oil spray. Bake them in the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up, then set the tray aside while you prep the last component. 

Scoop the avocado flesh into a medium-sized bowl and add the lime juice and salt to taste. Mash up the avocado with a fork until it has a smooth consistency.

Now that all of the elements are ready, it's time to assemble the mini tostadas. Start by spreading a bit of the avocado mixture on the base of each tostada. Top it with some chicken and sprinkle the radish pico de Gallo on top next. Finally, crumble a bit of Cotija cheese over each tostada and serve immediately so the base retains its crispiness. 

According to our recipe developer, "Tostada shells and the chicken tinga can be made one to two days in advance." However, she notes that "The radish pico de Gallo and avocado spread are best the day they are made, but can be done several hours in advance of assembly."