Creamy Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

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5 from 3 votes

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

I make these Creamy Chipotle Chicken Tostadas on weeknights when I'm craving some comfort food :)

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Servings:

Calories: 717kcal

Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

For the Chipotle Chicken:

1 chicken breast
1/4 onion
1 garlic clove
2 chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon flour (optional)
3/4 cup stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
freshly cracked black pepper
olive oil

For the tostadas (fixings are optional):

6-8 tostada shells
cheese (I used Queso Fresco)
1 cup refried beans
freshly chopped cilantro
2 limes

Instructions

You are welcome to cook the chicken with your preferred method. When shredded chicken is called for I usually default to the brine-and-bake method, so that's what I used for this batch. Start by adding 1/4 cup Kosher or sea salt to a mixing bowl along with a single quart of cold water. Stir to dissolve the salt and then add the chicken breast, letting it rest in the brine for 30-60 minutes. Once brined, pat it dry and bake in the oven for 20 minutes (400F) or until the insides of the chicken register 160F. Once cooked you can set the chicken aside to rest for a few minutes, and then shred it using two forks.
I usually start the sauce once the chicken goes in the oven. Start by cooking 1/4 onion and a whole, peeled garlic clove in a glug of oil over medium heat. Once the onion is starting to brown I usually add a single tablespoon of flour, stirring for a minute or so. This flour step will help thicken up the sauce but you can consider it optional. Add 3/4 cup stock, 2 chipotles in adobo, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Bring this mixture up to temp and then give it a whirl in blender or food processor.
Add the blended chipotle sauce back to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and bring it up to temp gently, combining well. Give a final taste for seasoning. I added another pinch of salt, some black pepper, and a spoonful of adobo sauce to this batch. Tip: adding some of the adobo sauce from the can is a quick way to give it a bit more heat.
Once you're happy with the flavor of the chipotle sauce you can add the cooked, shredded chicken to the pan, combining well over medium-low heat.
If you want to bake your own tostada shells, see How To Bake Tostada Shells. If you're using store-bought tostada shells be sure to warm them up for a few minutes before serving.
There's leeway on the fixings, so feel free to get creative. I really like a thin layer of refried beans underneath the chicken, so I usually recommend starting with a simple beans and chicken combo. I used these refried beans. For this batch I gave each tostada shell a layer of refried beans, creamy chipotle chicken, crumbled Queso Fresco, freshly chopped cilantro, and a final squeeze of lime. And they were perfect :)
Serve immediately. Store leftover chicken in the fridge where it will keep for a few days.

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