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Spicy Chicken Tostadas

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | June 26, 2022 4 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Last updated on June 27th, 2022

Crispy corn tortillas…shredded chicken in adobo sauce…sour cream, crunchy cabbage, and queso fresco — I love every delicious layer of these Spicy Chicken Tostadas! Need a gluten-free main course that will satisfy your soul? I filmed and wrote out the recipe for you:

In the above video, you’ll find several tips for making Spicy Chicken Tostadas. You will also find a nifty trick for shredding chicken!

Recipe Notes

A note about chipotle peppers. These smoked jalapeño peppers are packed in adobo sauce and sold in 7 ounce cans. As shown in the video, I used only 2 peppers from the can plus a few teaspoons of the sauce. Feel free to adjust quantities here — use more or less depending on your love of “hot” food.

A note about tostadas. These are simply corn tortillas that have been fried to crunchy perfection. You can fry them yourself, as I used to do, or take the easy road, and buy them already fried.

And here, for your convenience, is the printable recipe:

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Spicy Chicken Tostadas (Tinga de Pollo)

An infinitely-satisfying lunch or dinner dish.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Course: Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Enough water to cover the chicken

For the sauce:

  • 1 generous tablespoon oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes and their juices
  • 2 cloves of garlic, smashed, or 2 teaspoons garlic paste
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock (from the cooked chicken above)
  • 1 7-ounce can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you will need only 2-3 peppers from the can)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or, substitute 3 teaspoons cilantro paste)

For serving:

  • Crispy corn tortillas (sold as "tostadas")
  • sliced raw onion
  • thinly sliced cabbage
  • Queso fresco (a Mexican cheese)

Instructions

  • Poaching the chicken -- Put the chicken breasts in a heavy sauce pan, and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat, add the salt and pepper, and let simmer until the chicken achieves 165°F -- about 20 minutes. Reserve the poaching liquid. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and set it aside.
  • Making the sauce -- Tip the oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion and then cover the pot, lower the heat, and let the onion sweat until soft but not colored -- about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken poaching liquid. Then stir in 2-3 chipotle peppers (use more or less depending on taste), and 2-3 teaspoons of the adobo sauce. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in the cilantro.
  • Transfer the sauce mixture to the jar of an electric blender. Blend at high speed until smooth -- about 30 seconds. Return the sauce to the pot or Dutch oven. Add the shredded chicken, and heat just until the chicken is warm throughout -- 2-3 minutes.
  • Assembling the tostadas: For each serving, spread a crisp tortilla with sour cream. Then spoon on some of the chicken-and-sauce mixture. Top with sliced raw onion, sliced cabbage, and crumbled queso fresco,
Afternoon Tea: Marmalade Loaf Cake
Friselle (Crunchy Italian Bread)

Comments

  1. 1

    Mary Jouver says

    June 26, 2022 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my gosh…I cannot wait to try this recipe!!!

  2. 2

    Megan Black says

    June 26, 2022 at 2:38 pm

    Just a heads up !!In the recipe ingredients it says a 7 oz can of chipotles in adobos sauce! Make sure to
    realize that they are HOT and so is the sauce! So put a tiny tiny bit on a spoon and taste before you add it in! You WILL be surprised. I know it says to use just a few in the body of instructions, but I want to save any one from fire in their mouth!

  3. 3

    Linda says

    June 26, 2022 at 4:37 pm

    Looks like a winner, Kevin! I’ll give it a try.
    Where do you find the squeezable cilantro & garlic paste? Would
    it be on store shelves or in the refrigerated section?

  4. 4

    Jenny De Armond says

    July 3, 2022 at 10:56 am

    I have all the ingredients already except the cabbage. Dang it! I know the cabbage isn’t required but I do love the crunch it provides. Maybe I’ll pick up some radishes as well?! Thanks for the inspiration.

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