Best Tostadas de Tinga

These homemade Chicken Tinga Tostadas are delicious tostadas de pollo (chicken) in a Tinga sauce. The flavor is unreal and these will be your new go to tostada recipe! Easily customizable, they are perfect for a crowd or picky eaters.

Tostadas Mexicanos are popular year round. We love these Tostadas de Tinga made from chicken when we are feeding a crowd. We'll double or triple the recipe and just lay all the toppings out buffet style and people can take what they want and customize them as they please.

This was inspired by our Jerk Chicken Tacos , and pairs well with this Creamy Lemonade and Cilantro Lime Guacamole.

For another South American inspired dish, try our Arepa Con Queso recipe.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

1. Bold and Savory Flavors: They offer a burst of bold and savory flavors. The shredded chicken or pork in a smoky chipotle sauce is complemented by toppings like fresh salsa, avocado, and queso fresco, creating a delicious symphony of tastes.
2. Textural Delight: They have a delightful contrast of textures. The crispy corn tostada base adds crunch, while the tender and juicy meat, along with the toppings, add a creamy and refreshing element, resulting in a satisfying bite.
3. Versatility: Customize to suit your preferences. You can add additional toppings like shredded lettuce, pickled onions, or sour cream, allowing you to create a tostada that perfectly matches your taste.
4. Easy to Prepare: They are relatively easy to prepare, making them a convenient option for a quick and flavorful meal. Once the tinga filling is cooked, assembling the tostadas with your desired toppings is a breeze.
5. Vibrant Presentation: They are visually appealing, with their colorful toppings and stacked layers. They can brighten up your plate and impress your guests, making them perfect for gatherings or a festive dinner at home.
6. Traditional Mexican Dish: They are a traditional Mexican dish that showcases the authentic flavors of the country's cuisine. Enjoying tinga tostadas allows you to explore and appreciate the culinary heritage and cultural richness of Mexico.
7. Great for Sharing: An excellent dish for sharing with friends and family. You can prepare a platter of tostadas, allowing everyone to customize their own toppings and enjoy the vibrant and delicious experience together.
8. Balanced and Satisfying: A balanced and satisfying meal option. The combination of protein, vegetables, and grains provides a fulfilling and nourishing dish that can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, or even as a flavorful appetizer.

Ingredients

• tostadas - these are round crunchy tortillas, almost like a giant tortilla chip
• cooking oil- I used avocado, but you can use any cooking oil with this recipe. Just make sure the smoke point isn't too low!
• onion - I used a yellow onion for this recipe. You could use a white or even red onion for a little different flavor.
• minced or fresh garlic - We highly recommend minced or fresh garlic for this recipe over garlic powder. The flavor is much better. You can use garlic powder in a pinch.
• diced tomatoes - canned diced tomatoes, use the whole can.
• lime juice - fresh lime juice is always going to have more flavor than bottled, but bottled lime juice concentrate will work too.
• chipotles in adobo - these come in a can and can be found near the salsas at the grocery store
• salt - we used regular table salt for this recipe. You can use your favorite kind of salt, just be aware that you might need more or less depending on the salt.
• chicken broth - I've used homemade bone broth as well as Better Than Bouillon for this recipe and both worked great.
• shredded chicken - use a leftover rotisserie chicken or boil/ pressure cook your chicken and shred it.
• toppings of your choosing such as cotija cheese, salsa, shredded lettuce, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, sour cream, hot sauce or avocadoes.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. Thinly slice onions. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Make the tinga sauce: Blend chipotles, diced tomatoes and lime juice in a blender on high speed until well blended.

3. Pour tinga sauce onto onions and add the salt. Stir to combine.

4. Add shredded chicken and stir to combine. Add chicken broth to thin the mixture until desired thickness is achieved (I usually use around ¼ cup, but it can vary). Heat until hot, stirring occasionally.

5. Assemble! Place tinga de pollo (chicken) on a tostada shell, then desired toppings. Our favorites are avocado, cilantro, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese and green salsa. You can also try coconut, fresh tomatoes or another type of cheese.

Hint: You can use any shredded chicken. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, this will work great with that, it works with canned chicken (though might not taste quite as good, and if using canned, skip the salt in the recipe) or just chicken that has been boiled and shredded.

Substitutions

• Lime - we highly recommend lime juice, but if you're in a pinch, lemon juice will be fine too!
• Cotija - use any type of cheese instead! We love the flavor of cotija with tinga, but any mexican cheese blend or even cheddar cheese also taste great.
• Vegetarian - The chicken can be replaced with 3-4 cups beans such as black beans or chickpeas. You can also add more veggies when cooking the onion such as zucchini, bell peppers, or green beans. Add those in after the onions have already cooked about 3 minutes, then cook until softened.
• Chicken - feel free to substitute canned chicken, but if using canned skip the salt when making this recipe!

Variations

• Tostadas de Camaron or Shrimp Tostadas - substitute 2 pounds of cooked shrimp for the chicken for an AMAZING variation.
• Tostadas horneados or Baked Tostados - Assemble the tostadas and top with a generous amount of cheese, then bake in the oven at 350* for 8 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
• Tostadas de carne molida or Ground Beef Tostadas - Substitute 2 pounds of cooked and drained ground beef for the chicken. Skip the broth.
• Deluxe- Add ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon oregano at the same time as the salt and mix in for an even stronger tinga flavor!

Equipment

• blender
• large fry pan
• spatula

Storage

We recommend not assembling Tostadas de Tinga until ready to eat. Store the ingredients separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The tinga de polla (chicken) can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of time before using.

FAQ

Recipe

Tostadas de Tinga

Nicole

These chicken tinga tostadas are easy to make and full of flavor! Easily customizable, they are perfect for a crowd or picky eaters! Tostadas Mexicanos will quickly become your next go to weeknight meal.

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5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 6

Calories/serving 403 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 12 Tostadas
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic or 3 fresh garlic cloves
• ▢ 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• ▢ 4 chipotles in Adobo plus 2 Tablespoons of the sauce
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• ▢ ¾ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 3 large chicken breasts about 1 ½- 2 pounds, cooked and shredded
• ▢ up to ½ cup chicken broth
• ▢ Toppings all optional
• ▢ shredded lettuce
• ▢ fresh cilantro
• ▢ fresh tomatoes
• ▢ salsa green or red- we prefer green on these
• ▢ sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ avocados
• ▢ cotija or other cheese
• ▢ beans of choice

Instructions

• Thinly slice onions. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic to hot oil and saute until onions soften and turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While those cook, make the tinga sauce. Place chipotles, diced tomatoes, and lime juice in a blender. Blend on high until well blended.
• Add the tinga sauce to the onions. Add salt then stir to combine. Add chicken and stir to combine. Add chicken broth until desired consistency is reached. The chicken absorbs quite a bit of moisture and we like ours saucy. I usually add about ¼ cup or so. See photos above for a great visual.
• Assemble tostadas by placing the meat mixture on the tostada then adding your favorite toppings! 
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Store tostadas unassembled in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Tinga de pollo can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tostadasCalories: 403kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 33gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 674mgPotassium: 333mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

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Food safety

• Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.