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    Home » Most Recent

    Tinga Tostadas

    February 14, 2025 By Patrick 30 Comments

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    Tinga Tostadas are a real treat and will have you making huge batches of Tinga de Pollo so you can whip up tingalicious meals for the rest of the week!

    If you're new to this Tinga recipe be sure to add in the tomatillos as it makes a huge difference!  Adding tomatillos gives it a vibrancy that you won't get from tomato-only Tinga.

    Tostadas de Tinga are such a rewarding meal for the fam! Be sure to add some tomatillos to your Tinga as it makes a huge difference! mexicanplease.com

    How to make Tostadas de Tinga

    If you scan the recipe box below and see some garnishes or fixings that you don't have on hand please don't let that discourage you!  The Crema, Queso Fresco, and refried beans are all nice enhancements, but you could just as easily serve up Tinga on a Tostada and it's still going to be a satisfying meal.

    Why?  Because the Tinga is bursting with flavor and everything else is just a bonus.

    There's one other optional step in this version that you can experiment with if you want.  I've been brining chicken more often lately and I tried it with this batch of Tinga.

    This is a great Chicken Torta combo to keep in mind for quick meals. Fresh avocado and plenty of Cilantro Lime Mayo will turn it into one of the best sandwiches you'll ever have. So good! mexicanplease.com

    For Tinga de Pollo you'll need shredded chicken -- normally I just poach the chicken breasts but I decided to brine and bake for this batch.  (You could also use rotisserie chicken if you want.)

    A typical brining ratio is 1 cup salt per 1 gallon of water -- so in the above pic there are two chicken breasts resting in a quart of water that has 1/4 cup salt dissolved in it.   Give the chicken 30 minutes in this brine and you'll be surprised how much flavor it can add to plain ol' chicken.

    Once brined I put everything on a sheet pan and plopped it all in the oven.

    Roasting tomatoes and tomatillos for Tinga

    Chicken breasts will usually need about 20 minutes in a 400F oven and that works out well because the tomatoes and tomatillos need roughly the same amount of time to roast.  Once the chicken is about 160F or no longer pink on the inside you can take everything out.

    As the chicken is roasting you can roughly chop half an onion and saute it in some oil over medium heat.  We'll also add in four whole, peeled garlic cloves.

    Saute onion and garlic for Tinga de Pollo

    Once the onion starts to brown you can add this onion-garlic mixture to a blender along with the roasted tomatoes and tomatillos.  What's a tomatillo?

    We'll also add 3 chipotles in adobo.  I usually scrape out the seeds from the chipotles.   More info on working with chipotles in adobo.

    Blending ingredients for Tinga sauce

    Give it a whirl and take a taste!  I'm always amazed how much flavor it has at this point -- you too?!

    Using three chipotles will give it ample heat, but feel free to add more if you want a more fiery version.

    Adding Mexican oregano to the Tinga sauce

    Add the sauce back to the same pan that you used to cook the onion, along with:

    1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    pinch of cumin (optional)
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    freshly cracked black pepper
    1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (optional)

    Using adobo sauce from the can is a quick way to add some more heat but you can consider that optional.

    Let simmer for a couple minutes and then add in the shredded chicken.

    Adding shredded chicken to the Tinga sauce

    Hello Tinga de Pollo!

    Give it a taste -- it should be loaded with flavor and proof that you don't need much else on the Tostadas to make them a success.  But here's a good combo to try...

    Add a super thin layer of refried beans to a warmed up tostada:

    Adding refried beans to the tostadas

    You can use store-bought tostadas or crisp up your own.  More info on tostadas.

    Give it a healthy layer of Tinga:

    Adding Tinga de Pollo to the tostada

     

    And top with Queso Fresco (or Cotija), chopped cilantro, and some Mexican Crema (or Chipotle Crema):

     

    Adding Queso Fresco and Crema to the tostada

     

    And serve them up with a final squeeze of lime.

     

    Tostadas de Tinga are such a rewarding meal for the fam! Be sure to add some tomatillos to your Tinga as it makes a huge difference! mexicanplease.com

    Tingalicious?!

    It's such a flavorbomb dish and the crunch of the tostadas seems to combine really well with the texture of the Tinga.

    But don't forget that the final garnishes are all optional -- all you really need is Tinga on a warm Tostada to make some happy faces at the dinner table.

    Okay let me know if you have any questions about these Tinga Tostadas.  It's a great recipe to have in your arsenal and having leftover Tinga in the fridge means you're only a few minutes away from these beauties.

    Want the latest recipe?  Click your favorite from these options and follow me:  Instagram,  Facebook,  Pinterest,  TikTok,  YouTube.

    Tostadas de Tinga are such a rewarding meal for the fam! Be sure to add some tomatillos to your Tinga as it makes a huge difference! mexicanplease.com

    Tinga Tostadas

    Tostadas de Tinga are such a rewarding meal for the family -- be sure to add some tomatillos to your Tinga as it makes a huge difference! 
    4.75 from 27 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 406kcal
    Author: Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    • 8-10 tostadas
    • refried beans (optional)
    • Queso Fresco, or Cotija cheese (optional)
    • Mexican Crema (optional)
    • freshly chopped cilantro (optional)
    • lime wedges
    • 1/4 cup salt (for the brining step)

    For the Chicken Tinga:

    • 2 chicken breasts
    • 2 plum tomatoes
    • 4-5 tomatillos
    • 1/2 onion
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 3 chipotles in adobo
    • 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • dash of cumin (optional)
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
    • freshly cracked black pepper
    • olive oil

    Instructions

    • Keep in mind that you can cook the chicken any way you want or even use rotisserie chicken.   For this batch I brined and baked two boneless chicken breasts.  To brine the chicken, add 1/4 cup salt to a quart of water in a mixing bowl.  Dissolve the salt and add the chicken breasts, letting them brine in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.  If the chicken breasts aren't fully submerged then add a bit more water.  Once brined, pat dry the chicken breasts and add them to a baking sheet.
    • Rinse and de-stem the tomatoes and tomatillos.  Add them to the same baking sheet and bake everything at 400F for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside (160F). 
    • Once the chicken has cooled a bit you can shred it with two forks and set aside until you need it. 
    • Meanwhile, roughly chop a half onion and saute in some oil over medium heat.  Add four whole peeled garlic cloves and saute until the onion is starting to brown.  
    • Add the onion-garlic mixture to a blender along with 3 chipotles in adobo and the roasted tomatoes and tomatillos.  I usually scrape out the seeds of the chipotles.   Combine well and take a taste, adding more chipotles if you want more heat. 
    • Add the Tinga mixture back to the same pan you used to cook the onion.  Add 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, a pinch of cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon of salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1-2 tablespoons of adobo sauce (optional).   Bring to a simmer and take a final taste for seasoning. 
    • Add the shredded chicken to the Tinga sauce and let simmer until everything is at a uniform temp. 
    • Warm up the tostadas -- I usually put them in the oven for 2-3 minutes.  
    • Add a thin layer of refried beans to each tostada along with a layer of Chicken Tinga.  Optional garnishes include Queso Fresco cheese (or Cotija), Mexican Crema, freshly chopped cilantro, and a final squeeze of lime.  Serve immediately. 
    • Store leftover Tinga in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for a few days. 

    Notes

    The Tinga sauce is the key to this recipe so feel free to cook the chicken however you see fit.  Likewise, feel free to serve with your choice of garnishes.
    I typically scrape out the seeds of the chipotles.   More info on working with chipotles in adobo. 
    You can use store-bought tostadas or crisp up your own.   Here's an easy way to bake tostadas at home. 
    Kosher or sea salt are typically recommended for brining as they don’t have any additives.   It's also usually recommended to brine meats in the fridge. 
    What is Queso Fresco?
    You can also use the Tinga sauce to make some Chicken Tinga Enchiladas.
     
     
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

    Like these tostadas?  Then try some with this Chicken Chile Verde:

    I've been keeping batches of this Chicken Chili Verde on hand for the past couple weeks -- super easy to make and it leads to all sorts of easy meals! mexicanplease.com

     

    Our latest recipe is a batch of this fiery Jalapeno Hummus:

    Here's an easy way to make a fiery batch of Jalapeno Hummus! Giving it a burst of jalapeno-lime-cilantro flavor is a welcome update to a classic dish. mexicanplease.com

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Travis

      May 17, 2021 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      Love the recipe, great flavor and simple.

      The website is a terrible experience on an Android device. Ads everywhere and you absolutely should have a "Jump to Recipe" button so the entire site doesn't have to load as you scroll. Please update as the recipe is great but is frustrating to access.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        May 17, 2021 at 2:05 pm

        Hey thanks much for your feedback Travis, I will add a Jump to Recipe button to my to-do list. Cheers.

        Reply
    2. Dawn Basler

      January 13, 2021 at 7:48 pm

      I made this just yesterday and EVERY ONE in my household LOVED it!!! Which is crazy because they are picky around here. I appreciate that you had a link to explain things like the chipotle in abode sauce had no clue so thanks for that! Your awesome.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        January 14, 2021 at 1:36 pm

        Thanks much Dawn, so glad this one is a hit with the fam! Cheers.

        Reply
    3. Ruby

      September 26, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      We loved the flavor of everything!! I’m not a good cook at all and this was so simple to follow that I will definitely make again.

      Can I freeze the left over chicken with sauce?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 28, 2020 at 10:12 pm

        Thanks Ruby, I'm so glad this one was a hit for you! I haven't tried freezing the Tinga yet but it will definitely keep for a few days in the fridge. Cheers.

        Reply
    4. Diane

      September 17, 2020 at 6:17 am

      5 stars
      This was so good. We used beef as that is what we had. I loved the sauce. We will definitely be making it again.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 17, 2020 at 7:48 pm

        Thanks Diane, glad this one is a keeper for you. Cheers.

        Reply
    5. Joni

      June 19, 2020 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      We loved this dish the first time. I'm making it again today. Whipped up your fast adobo sauce with chile de rojas and Chile de arbol (what I had on hand). Husband wants rice tonight so we'll try that instead of tortillas. Probably miss the crunch but the flavors are so amazing I think we'll be just fine! I love your recipes and your relaxed, improvisational style. Fun cooking!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 19, 2020 at 12:04 pm

        Thank much for your feedback Joni, I'm so glad this one was a hit with you guys! Cheers.

        Reply
    6. Elena

      June 07, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      Mui Bueno! I made this on the fly as I had no tomatillos or fresh tomatoes. I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes in lieu of the missing ingredients. Followed everything else with regards to the sauce (4 chipotles, seeded and extra adobo). I like to poach the breasts; making a very flavorful stock that I use to clean out the cans and the processor. I simmer all that down to reduce it a bit while I'm shredding the chicken. I use a small amount of the stock to thin sour cream to the consistency of creme. Pile on some radish, avocado, creme, and cilantro ( had to use parma cheese ). They were a hit. Worked for me!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 08, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        Hey thanks much for your notes Elena, it's super helpful to hear your adjustments. Cheers.

        Reply
    7. Laura Bracken

      December 26, 2019 at 8:00 am

      5 stars
      Quick to make, easy to spice up or down, and a convenient way to use leftover chicken. This time, I did the brine and roast and am happy to find an alternative to poaching. We love it -- on tostadas with beans, on tostadas without beans, inside a tortilla with rice and beans. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        December 26, 2019 at 2:17 pm

        Thanks much for your feedback Laura! Good to know it's a hit with the fam 🙂

        Reply
    8. Ken Bewick

      October 16, 2019 at 4:16 pm

      4 stars
      Another great dish. Thanks again for keeping my Mexican cuisine education going.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        October 18, 2019 at 3:54 pm

        Hey thanks much for the feedback Ken! Cheers.

        Reply
    9. Victoria

      October 14, 2019 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      Outstanding recipe! My kids loved it and said it’s a keeper! First time using tomatillos and so happy I tried this recipe! Will be making again!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        October 14, 2019 at 2:38 pm

        Ahh awesome Victoria, so glad it was a hit with the fam! Cheers.

        Reply
    10. Christina

      October 12, 2019 at 10:11 am

      This looks delicious!! I live in Sonoma County (NorCal) and find it not so easy to find big beautiful tomatillos like those pictured in your photo. And finding organic would be nearly impossible...

      Will definitely try this though!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        October 14, 2019 at 2:48 pm

        Thanks Christina!

        Reply
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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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