Chicken poached until it shreds, then simmered down in a smoky tomato sauce built on chipotles in adobo. The sauce reduces until it clings to the meat instead of pooling on the plate. Piled onto crisp tostadas with refried beans, crema and crumbled queso fresco.
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Terms ↗6 Steps
Put the chicken thighs in a pan with half the onion, the whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and a teaspoon of salt. Cover with water, bring to a bare simmer and poach for 20-25 minutes, until the meat pulls apart against the side of the pan. Lift the chicken out, keep 250 ml of the broth, and shred the meat with two forks.
Drop the tomatoes into the same broth and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the skins split and they collapse. Lift them out and blend with the chipotles, the spoonful of adobo, the two raw garlic cloves, the oregano and the cumin until completely smooth.
Slice the remaining onion thinly. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium-high and cook the onion for 6-8 minutes, until soft with brown edges.
Pour in the blended sauce — it should hiss as it hits the pan — and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens from bright red to brick and thickens noticeably.
Fold in the shredded chicken with 150 ml of the reserved broth. Season and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until there is no loose liquid left in the pan and the sauce coats every strand.
Spread warm refried beans over each tostada, spoon the tinga on top, then finish with crema, crumbled queso fresco, shredded lettuce and sliced avocado. Serve with lime wedges and eat straight away, before the tostada softens.
Start with two chipotles and taste after blending — heat varies enormously between brands, and you can always stir another one in. The tinga keeps four days in the fridge and is better on day two; reheat it with a splash of the reserved poaching broth.
Comments (3)
used breast because that is what i had and it went a bit dry
thigh is worth it here, or pull the breast out at 15 minutes and shred it off the heat
two chipotles was plenty for us, my jar was fierce
the leftovers on day two were better than day one, exactly as promised