Tostadas de Tinga

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Spicy, crispy and packed full of flavor! These Tostadas de Tinga are so simple to make; perfectly crispy corn tortillas topped with Tinga de Pollo, refried black beans and a spicy chipotle mayo. You have to try these!

Tostadas de tinga served with chipotle mayo and queso fresco cheese

About this recipe:

Tostada simply means 'toasted' in Spanish and all tostada recipes require crispy corn tortillas that can either be fried or baked. It's basically one giant tortilla chip! When it comes to the toppings, that's really up to you! This recipe shows you how top your tostadas with Tinga and pairs it with a deliciously spicy chipotle mayo and refried black beans. These tostadas are so versatile and I give you plenty of different variations and combinations of toppings below! Give these Tostadas de Tinga a go!

Ingredients

For the Tinga:
Tomatoes
Canned chipotle peppers
Onion
Garlic
Tomato puree
Chicken Breast
Mexican Oregano
For the Tostadas:
Refried black beans
Corn tortillas
Queso Fresco cheese (any mild, crumbly cheese)
Cilantro (Coriander)
White onion diced
Chipotle Mayonnaise (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by step pictures:

Corn tortillas frying in a pan until crispy

Step 1: First, add a splash of oil to a pan and fry your tortillas on a medium-high heat. Fry for about 5 minutes on each side until they have browned slightly and crisped.

Step 2: Remove your crispy tostada shells and place them on a plate.

Refried black beans spooned onto fried corn tortillas

Step 3: Scoop a generous helping of your refried black beans onto your tostada and spread it around using the back of a spoon.

Tinga added on top of black beans on corn tortillas

Step 4: Add a few tablespoons of your heated tinga de pollo on top.

Queso Fresco cheese and white onion toppings on the corn tortillas

Step 5: Sprinkle with Queso Fresco cheese and some diced white onion.

Tostadas de tinga drizzled with chipotle mayo and sprinkled with coriander

Step 6: Finally, top with your chipotle mayo and a few coriander leaves. Dig in!

What about the chipotle mayo?

I've paired these Tostadas de Tinga with a spicy and tangy chipotle mayo. You can find the full recipe here. Here's the simple version of how to make it:

Ingredients:

2 chipotle chillies
½ cup (120ml) mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 lime juiced

Step 1: Add your chipotle chillies, mayo, salt and lime juice to a food processor.

Step 2: Blend until smooth.

What about the chipotle chillies?

Chipotle chillies in adobo sauce can usually be found at any good Mexican Grocer. However, if you do not have a Mexican Grocer near to you, they can easily be purchased online. This tinga recipe calls for 3 chipotle chillies and 3 tablespoons of the adobo sauce so one 200g can is all you need. I bought my chipotle chillies in adobo sauce from Amazon. Alternatively, Chipotle paste can very easily be sourced in most countries. Use 5 tablespoons of chipotle paste in your tinga to substitute the chillies and adobo sauce.

How spicy is Tinga De Pollo?

You can find our Tinga de pollo recipe here. Like all the spicy recipes you'll find on this site, it's completely up to you how spicy you want your Tinga De Pollo to be! If you make it as instructed then you will have a medium level of spice, but there are lots of ways to adjust this. To make it less spicy, deseed and devein the chipotle pepper. It's a messy job but well worth it if you're wanting a milder Tinga. If you're using chipotle paste then add 3 tablespoons instead of 5 and add a splash of chicken stock or water to your food processor to thin out the sauce.

Substitutions

Tortillas - I used corn tortillas for these tostadas de tinga as they crisp up perfectly, just like a corn tortilla chip. However, if you're finding it hard to source them then you can use flour tortillas. I find that they don't crisp up very well when frying them so I recommend brushing them with oil and baking them at 400F/200C for 5-6 minutes. Make homemade flour tortillas here.
Cheese - If you can source it, Queso Fresco cheese is an authentic cheese to use. Any mild, crumbly cheese will do however. From making plenty of Mexican recipes using ingredients that can be sourced in the UK, I've found that Wensleydale cheese works great. It crumbles beautifully and can be sprinkled on top of tacos without it melting.

Variations

I've paired these Tostadas de Tinga with a spicy chipotle mayo, however there are plenty of toppings you could use. Here are a few ideas:

Pico de Gallo - Looking for another fresh salsa? Why not try this Pico de Gallo recipe.
Guacamole - Looking for a different topping that still uses up your avocado? Try this homemade Guacamole recipe!

Equipment

All you will need to make your Tinga sauce and Chipotle Mayo is either a food processor or a blender. I prefer to use a food processor as it leaves the sauce with a slightly chunky consistency whereas a blender will make the sauce very smooth. It's all down to your own personal preference! If you are wanting to make your Tinga sauce the truly traditional way then you can use a large pestle and mortar.

Storage

Refrigeration - Separate the tinga from the tostada toppings. Allow your Tinga De Pollo to cool completely. Add to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, add to a pan with a splash of chicken stock and heat though.

Freezing - Allow your Tinga De Pollo to cool completely. Add to an airtight container or a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow to defrost in the fridge completely, add to a pan with a splash of chicken stock and heat though.

Top Tip

Fry your tortillas in a generous amount of oil. You want to shallow fry them to get them as crispy as possible. A true tostada shouldn't fold like a taco!

FAQ

How do I keep the shells crispy?

The key here is to add a layer of refried black beans to the tostadas before adding your ground beef and toppings. It creates the perfect barrier to keep your shells crispy.

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Pairing

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