Tostada Tinga de Pollo

Although I often get mistaken for being Mexican with my cinnamon skin color and Florida address, I know absolutely nothing of authentic Mexican food. This recipe is my first. It was a dead Monday service at work, Fausto, our Mexican sous chef, and I were hungry and bored. Scanning the refrigerators we found tons of left over grilled chicken breasts. Fausto banged out Tostada Tinga de Pollo. Leftovers never tasted this good. It's pretty simple, fried corn tortilla topped with sour cream, pulled chicken, lettuce and cheese. Use it as an appetizer, main, or just a snack. It's simple, delicious, and a great way to use up left over chicken.

Recipe:

2 chicken breasts (any chicken can be used, breast, thigh, leg, fresh, or left over)

1 medium sized onion medium chop

2 cloves garlic minced

6-7 plum tomatoes medium chop

1 chipotle pepper in adobo minced (or fresh jalapeno)

1/2 lime juiced

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

salt to taste

8-10 corn tortillas

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 head of roman lettuce shredded

1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese (milder than and dryer than Feta)

sour cream

Lightly brown garlic with 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium sized pot on medium high heat. Add onions, tomato, chicken, chipotle, and some salt to the pot. Cook at medium high for about 5 minutes then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover with a lid.

After about an hour of cooking, using 2 forks, shred the chicken in the pot. (After an hour, whether using fresh or leftover cooked chicken, it should be falling apart on it's own it. Be sure to shred thoroughly, you don't want any big chunks.)

Continue to cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add lime juice, salt to taste, and set aside. (note: to serve, the pulled chicken doesn't have to be hot)

Fry the tortillas in the vegetable oil until golden crispy brown. Spread a thin layer of sour cream on the tortilla, add a layer of pulled chicken, and top with shredded lettuce and cotija cheese.

(note: in all the pictures I topped them with a little hot sauce)

Serve it hot or cold, it's all good. It's a refreshing way to use up left over chicken. Chicken salad? Chicken soup? BORING! Doesn't Tostada Tinga de Pollo sound way more exciting?