Chicken Tinga Tostadas

These quick and easy Chicken Tinga Tostadas might just be your new Taco Tuesday recipe! Healthy baked tostada shells are layered with refried beans, shredded chicken, Tinga sauce, and toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and Cotija cheese. Serve as a fun appetizer or main dish along with your favorite Mexican dishes! 

Chicken Tinga Tostadas Recipe

Every now and then I like to shake things up, and keep the dinner rotation interesting.

So instead of Taco Tuesday, allow me to introduce you to Tostada Tuesday!

Tostadas are like a flat taco. They’re super customizable and fun to load up with all the best toppings.

Chicken Tinga tostadas have the perfect mix of flavors and textures. Crunchy shells, creamy beans, spicy chicken tinga, and a variety of garnishes are the secret to one tasty tostada!

They’re easy to make and fun to eat. But fair warning, they can get a little messy! 😉

What is a Tostada?

A tostada is like a taco, but instead of being folded up the tortilla is flat.

Generally, tostadas start with a crunchy tortilla shell. They are then layered with beans, meat, and veggies.

Many of the toppings are similar to what you’d find in a taco.

It’s fun to get creative and see what kind of flavor variations you can come up with. You can even start your day off with some Breakfast Tostadas with Eggs!

Ingredients

The authentic and fresh ingredients used to make the best chicken tostadas include:

• Shredded Chicken. Use Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, baked chicken breasts, or a rotisserie chicken. And remember, it’s easiest to shred chicken while it’s still warm.
• Tinga Sauce. This spicy and tangy tomato sauce is made with diced tomatoes, chipotles, onions, and garlic. It’s seasoned with oregano, paprika, cumin, and salt. (Here’s how to cut an onion and dice a tomato.)
• Tostada shells. Buy the shells at the store or easily make your own with corn tortillas. Homemade shells are quite a bit healthier since they’re baked instead of deep-fried!
• Refried beans. Either black or pinto beans may be used.
• Cotija cheese. A unique cheese with a sharp flavor. Sometimes it can be hard to find but will be in the Mexican cheese section at your grocery store. Queso fresco or even crumbled feta cheese can also be used.
• Other toppings. Iceberg lettuce adds a nice crunch and subtle flavor. Either cherry, vine, or Roma tomatoes diced up give a fresh taste. Creamy avocado slices and crunchy radishes offer amazing texture. Also try adding cilantro, onions, cabbage, homemade guacamole, or homemade salsas (try roasted salsa, tomatillo salsa verde, and fresh salsa).

How to Make Chicken Tinga Tostadas

The simple steps to make tostadas de Tinga at home include:

Make the Tostada Shells

Making your own baked tostada shells at home is so easy! They are healthier since they’re not fried and use a lot less oil. Plus, that fresh out of the oven crunch is too perfect.

Here are the steps to follow to bake tostada shells:

Whisk lime juice, oil, and salt together. This will help to make sure the flavors are evenly distributed.

Brush the mixture onto the tortillas. Coat the front and back with approximately 1 teaspoon each. 

Layer the tortillas on a baking sheet. Make sure to keep them in a single layer. You also don’t want any of them to overlap or else they will not crisp up fully.

Bake until crispy. Flip the tortillas halfway through so they bake evenly. Darker baking sheets will brown the tortillas faster than light ones. Keep a close eye on the tortillas during the last few minutes of cooking to ensure they don’t burn.

You can buy a bag of pre-made tostadas from the store, as well. (This process is SUPER similar to how you make baked tortilla chips!)

Whip Up the Tinga Sauce

The sauce is where so much of the amazing flavor comes from! Customize the heat level to your preference. For a milder taste use 1 chipotle pepper, or 2 for medium heat.

Sauté the onion. Cook over medium heat until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another minute. 

Blend the sautéed onion and garlic with chipotle peppers, diced tomatoes, oregano, cumin, paprika, and salt until smooth. A high speed blender like a Vitamix or Nutribullet is best, but a food processor will also work. 

Return the sauce to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add the shredded chicken. Mix until the chicken is coated evenly in the sauce. 

You can even switch it up and try using this picadillo or these Mexican Beans instead!

Layer Up the Tostada

In order to assemble the chicken tinga tostadas, you’ll want to follow these steps.

Spread refried beans onto each baked tostada shell.  Coat with a relatively thick layer. The beans act as a ‘glue’ for the chicken. 

Layer with shredded chicken coated in tinga sauce. Spread the chicken out into an even layer so it’s not piled up in the middle.  

Top it Off

Cover the chicken with the shredded lettuce. Finely shredded iceberg lettuce is the best to use. It stays on the tostada better and is easy to bite through.  

Top with avocado slices. Thinly slice the avocado just before serving to avoid browning. 

Add the diced tomatoes. A small dice is best, that way the flavor is more evenly dispersed. 

Garnish with Cotija cheese. Once finished, serve immediately to prevent the tostada shell from getting soggy. 

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: The shells, chicken, sauce, and toppings can be prepared ahead of time. Be sure to store them all separately.
• To Store: Tostada shells can be stored at room temperature. The leftover tinga sauce, meat, and toppings can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days.
• To Freeze: The chicken tinga can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. Simply defrost before reheating. You’ll want to use fresh toppings and tostada shells to go along with the defrosted chicken.
• To Reheat: Add the beans and chicken to a skillet over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Once those are heated through you can assemble the tostadas.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already soy-free and nut-free as written.  Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Gluten-free: Make sure to use a gluten-free corn tortilla. Most are, but double-check the label to confirm.
• Vegetarian: Substitute the chicken for tofu. Also ensure the refried beans are vegetarian and do not have lard added.
• Dairy-free: To make this recipe dairy-free, leave off the Cotija cheese.

How to eat a tostada?

You eat a tostada like you would eat a flat taco! Hold it nice and even and take a big bite from the edge.

Are tostadas healthy?

When you make your own tostadas at home, they can be a relatively healthy Mexican dish. The good-for-you ingredients like lean meat, fresh tomatoes, and homemade tostada shells in this recipe pack a flavorful and nutritious punch.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Just a little. Much like when making Baked Tortilla Chips, you want to make sure not to add too much oil. If you do, the tostadas will come out soggy and not crunchy.
• Add a hint of lime.  A little bit of citrus really gives the tostada shells a ton of flavor. Get creative and sub with lemon juice if that’s what you have available.
• Don’t forget the sauce. The chipotle peppers come in a delicious adobo sauce that adds a lot of flavor to the chicken tinga. Don’t forget to add some of it along with the peppers!
• Last minute. Prep toppings just before serving to keep everything fresh and crisp.
• Plus it up. Cotija cheese takes it over-the-top. This salty and sharp Mexican cheese gives this dish a wonderful pop of flavor at the end!

What to Serve with Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Chicken tostadas can be served as an appetizer or a main course with one of these other Mexican side dishes.

Instant Pot Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Instant Pot Black Beans are classic sides you don’t want to miss.

Southern Corn Fritters and Mexican Street Corn Salad are unique dishes everyone will love.

And don’t forget the Homemade Tortilla Chips and Roasted Tomato Salsa.