Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo)

Ingredients:

6 cups water

2 pounds skinless/boneless chicken breast

4 teaspoons salt, divided

1 clove garlic

1 medium yellow onion, quartered

1 large vine ripened tomato, quartered

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1/4 cup canola oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 large vine ripened tomatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

12 Flat tostada shells, packaged or corn tortillas

Toppings (optional):

1 iceberg lettuce, finely shredded

3 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced

2 cups crema Mexicana or sour cream

2 cups queso fresco or Cotija, crumbled

2 cups salsa of your choice

6 radishes, sliced

Instructions:

In a large stockpot, over medium to high heat, add water, chicken, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 clove garlic, and quartered onion.

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Reserve.

Remove the chicken and allow it to cool.

After the chicken cools off shred it. Reserve.

In a blender add the boiled onion and garlic clove, quartered tomato, chipotle peppers including adobo sauce, 2 teaspoons salt, and enough chicken broth to fill the blender half way. Puree until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large and deep pan over medium heat.

Once it is hot but not smoking, stir in the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and chopped garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the cooked shredded chicken, the chipotle sauce from the blender and more chicken broth if it is too dry.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add salt to taste.

Tostadas:

In a heavy skillet heat one-quarter inch of oil.

Drop tortillas carefully into hot oil, one at a time, for 20 to 40 seconds on each side or until crisp and golden.

Drain on paper towels.

Store bought tostadas can also be used.

Assemble:

To assemble, place a tostada (fried tortilla) on a serving plate; spoon on Chicken Tinga, lettuce (optional), 1 or 2 slices of ripe avocado, crumbled queso fresco, and top with crema Mexicana or sour cream.

Garnish tostada with toppings of your choice.

Notes:

Chicken can be cooked in an Instant Pot. Combine the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Cover with the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, followed by a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release. If chicken is frozen add 5 extra minutes to the high pressure cook time, for a total of 15 minutes on high.

For easy shredding of your chicken, use a hand mixer with the beater attachment. It’ll shred the chicken in a fraction of the time it will take with forks.

Tinga is a tasty party dish that can be made ahead. It stores well in the refrigerator and tastes better the next day after the ingredients have marinated for a few hours.

Serve on tostadas, in tacos, sopes, or burritos. Great on nachos, too!

Nutrition Information: