Mexican · main

Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Chicken Tinga Tostadas reads umami 5.2, citrus 5.0 and sourness 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 51 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.2 · Citrus 5.0 · Sourness 4.5 · Smoke 4.2 · Funk & Ferment 4.0 · Richness 4.0 · Salinity 3.9 · Heat 3.7 · Allium 3.4 · Sweetness 2.7 · Earthy 2.5 · Fruity 2.3 · Herbaceous 1.6 · Bitterness 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Nutty 1.2

What's in it (15)

• boneless chicken — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• vegetable oil — 14 g
• white onion — 110 g
• garlic — 9 g
• chipotle chile — 200 g
• italian-style diced tomatoes — 411 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• cumin — 3 g
• yellow corn tortillas — 800 g
• vegetarian refried beans — 454 g
• iceberg lettuce — 473 g
• crumbled blue cheese — 57 g
• shredded reduced-fat mexican cheese blend — 38 g
• lime — 65 g

Time & effort: about 51 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 170.2 kcal, 9.2 g protein, 3.2 g fat, 27.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Place the chicken thighs in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover by 1 inch (about 3 cups) and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a bare simmer and poach until the chicken is opaque throughout and reaches 165°F, 15-18 minutes.
2. Transfer the chicken to a plate, reserving 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid and discarding the rest. Let the chicken cool for 3-4 minutes, until easy to handle, then shred into bite-size pieces with two forks.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden at the edges, 6-7 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the chipotles with adobo sauce, tomatoes, oregano, and cumin along with the reserved poaching liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook, mashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, until the sauce thickens slightly, 8-10 minutes.
5. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. Simmer until the chicken has absorbed most of the sauce and no liquid pools at the bottom of the pan, 5-6 minutes, then season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste.
6. While the sauce simmers in step 4, arrange the tostada shells in a single layer on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven until crisp and heated through, 4-5 minutes; set aside.
7. Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until spreadable, 2-3 minutes, then spread about 2 tablespoons of the warm beans over each tostada shell.
8. Top each bean-spread tostada with a generous mound of the chicken tinga, then scatter with the shredded lettuce and crumbled queso fresco.
9. Drizzle with the crema and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Coyote Quesadilla — Tex-Mex
• Smoky Chipotle Tofu Sofritas Bowl — Mexican
• Southern Fried Chicken Tenders with Comeback Sauce — Southern
• Sheet-Pan Steak Fajita Nachos Bake — Tex-Mex
• Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema — Mexican

Keep reading: what umami, citrus, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.