Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tostadas are a fabulous weeknight dinner option – slow cooked chicken simmered in a spicy chipotle tomato sauce served over baked tostadas with your favorite toppings!
When schedules get crazy, sometimes weeknight dinners get lost in the mix. I find myself rotating some of the same recipes, whipping up something quick and easy or dialing out – all of which leave me wondering where my adventuresome recipe spirit escaped to.
This fall, I am committed to keeping my pantry stocked with options so I will be less tempted to whip up old reliable recipes and explore new recipes, flavors and ideas. For busy weeknights, I love having refried beans on hand when I want to whip up something quick and delicious. I sauté them with a bit of onion and garlic, a sprinkle of smoked paprika (and dried chipotle if I want a kick of heat) and a bit of chicken stock. Wrap some of these with a sprinkle of melted cheese in a flour tortilla and you will forget about any other bean burrito – promise! Their pickled jalapeños are fantastic topping your favorite nachos and who doesn’t love those crispy taco shells – Taco Tuesday anyone?
One of my favorite dishes of all time is Tinga – a savory dish of shredded meat in a spicy tomato sauce. When Old El Paso asked us to come up with a delicious and easy weeknight meal, I thought I’d make a variation on my favorite spicy dish with this Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tostada. Spicy succulent shredded chicken nestled on a baked tostada with refried beans and topped with a touch of pico de gallo and cheese – hungry yet?
Here’s the kicker – 90% of the work can be done ahead of time thanks to the slow cooker. I love making this on a Sunday afternoon and then keeping it in the fridge for dinner during the week. I have found that the flavors get better over time and for those crazy nights when I get home from the 9to9 late, having these on hand makes dinner planning easy. To serve, I bake some tortillas for tostadas instead of frying and they are crisp and delicious. Served with refried beans, these Chicken Tinga Tostadas are a favorite dinner option.
When you are looking to spice up your weeknight dinner, put Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tostadas on the menu – your family will love it!
On to the recipe:
Aly M. Cleary
Yields 6
Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tostadas are a fabulous weeknight dinner option - slow cooked chicken simmered in a spicy chipotle tomato sauce served over baked tostadas and your favorite toppings!
20 minPrep Time
3 hr, 30 Cook Time
3 hr, 50 Total Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 – 3 links of chorizo or spicy sausage, casing removed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano (I used Mexican oregano)
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried chipotle chile or 1 canned chipotle in adobo, finely minced
- 1 15 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 Old El Paso flour tortillas
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Old El Paso refried beans
- Shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack Cheese
- Old El Paso pickled jalapeños
- Sour Cream
- Pico de Gallo or your favorite salsa
Instructions
- In the insert of a stovetop safe slow cooker or large sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat over medium high heat and add the chicken breasts, making sure to season each side with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Brown on both sides and remove to a plate to rest.
- Brown the fresh sausage and, when the sausage is almost fully browned, add the diced onions to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
- To the onion sausage mixture, add the smoked paprika, cumin, and dried (or canned) chipotle. Bloom the spices for a minute until you can start to smell them and then add the chicken stock, taking care to deglaze the pan. Remove from the heat.
- Remove everything to the slow cooker (if not using a stovetop safe slow cooker insert), and then nestle the browned chicken breasts on top. Cover with the fire roasted tomatoes and set to low for 3 hours or so, until the chicken is fork tender.
- When the chicken is done, remove from the pan and shred using two forks. Return to the slow cooker and toss with the sauce and the sausage.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Brush both sides of each tortilla with a bit of the vegetable oil and bake for 3 – 5 minutes on each side until toasty brown. Some may puff up and that is perfectly okay.
- Spread a baked tostada with refried beans.
- Add some of the chicken tinga to the top of the refried beans.
- Top the chicken tinga tostada with some shredded cheese, some fresh pico de gallo or salsa, some pickled jalapeños and a drizzle of sour cream.
- Enjoy!
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