3to 4 cannedchipotles en adoboplus 1 tablespoon sauce from can
1teaspoondried Mexican oregano
1mediumbay leaf
1cuplow-sodium chicken broth or water
2to 3 poundsboneless, skinless chickentrimmed of any excess fat
For The Radish Pico De Gallo:
8mediumradishessmall dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
1mediumserrano or Thai chileminced
1/4cupfreshly squeezed lime juice
1/3cupfresh cilantro leavesthinly sliced
For Serving:
12(5 inch)tostadas
Crema or sour creamfor serving
Instructions
Start The Chicken Tinga: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Take 1 1/2 halved red onions (i.e., 3 red onion halves) and thinly slice them into half-moon shapes. Add the onion and salt, add black pepper to the pot, and cook until golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, the chipotles and adobo sauce, oregano, and bay leaf, and, using a spatula or wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and the chicken, stir to coat, and cook, turning every 10 minutes or so until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork, at least 45 minutes.
Shred The Chicken: Remove the chicken from the sauce, place it on a board, and shred it into bite-sized pieces with the help of two forks. Meanwhile, discard the bay leaf and place the remaining sauce ingredients -- tomatoes, broth, chipotles, adobo sauce, and herbs -- in a blender. Puree until smooth, then taste and add more salt or pepper as desired.Return the sauce to the pot along with the shredded chicken, season with salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. TIP: Tinga can be made entirely up to three days ahead of time. Store refrigertated in an airtight container and rewarm when ready to use.
Make The Radish Pico De Gallo Salsa: Take the remaining 1/2 red onion and mince it. Combine the minced onions with all the minced radish, serrano chile, and lime juice. Stir in the last 1 tablespoon of oil and season well with salt and pepper. Snip or thinly slice the cilantro, stir it in, and serve immediately.
Assemble And Serve The Tostadas: Top each tostada with a few spoonfuls of the chicken tinga, top with a spoonful of the salsa, add a drizzle of crema (or sour cream thinned with water until it's pourable), and serve immediately.