Cast-Iron Mexican Chicken Tinga Tostadas with Chipotle and Lime Slaw
Sear chicken thighs in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over a camp stove or grate, then simmer them covered in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce for 15 to 18 minutes until they hit 165°F. Shred the chicken, simmer it 5 more minutes to thicken the sauce, and pile it on crisp tostadas with lime slaw, avocado and queso fresco. Plan on about 50 minutes total.
Tinga is a shredded chicken dish from Puebla. It's cooked in a tomato and chipotle sauce that's smoky, a little sweet and a little hot. It's a good fit for camp because it's one skillet, a short ingredient list, and the chicken gets more tender the longer it sits in the sauce.
We serve it on crisp tostadas instead of tortillas. They hold up to the saucy meat, they pack flat, and nobody has to warm anything. Build them right before eating so the shells stay crunchy.
Cast-Iron Mexican Chicken Tinga Tostadas with Chipotle and Lime Slaw
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-high to sear, then low simmer
- Pack weight
- 5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- Camp stove or grill grate over coals
- Foil or skillet lid
- Instant-read thermometer
- Two forks and tongs
- Cutting board and knife
- Mixing bowl
Steps
-
Make the toppings
Toss the cabbage with the juice of 1 lime and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir the juice of half the other lime into the sour cream. Cut the remaining lime half into wedges.
-
Sear the chicken
Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the thighs with 1/2 tsp salt and sear 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. They won't be cooked through yet. Move them to a clean plate.
-
Soften the onion
Drop the heat to medium. Cook the onion in the skillet for 4 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the garlic, oregano and cumin and stir for 30 seconds.
-
Simmer the chicken
Stir in the tomatoes, chopped chipotle, adobo sauce, water and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Nestle the chicken back in, cover with foil or a lid, and simmer on low 15 to 18 minutes. Check the thickest piece with a thermometer. It must read 165°F.
-
Shred and thicken
Move the chicken to a clean board or plate and shred it with two forks. Return it to the skillet and simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce clings to the meat. Taste and add salt if needed.
-
Build the tostadas
Set out the shells and toppings. Spoon a generous scoop of tinga on each tostada, then add slaw, avocado, queso fresco, lime crema and cilantro. Squeeze a lime wedge over the top and eat right away.
Trail Notes
Cook the tinga at home through step 5 and freeze it flat in a zip bag. It doubles as an ice pack and thaws in the cooler in about a day. Reheat in the skillet until steaming hot, 165°F.
Keep raw chicken at 40°F or below, in a sealed bag at the bottom of the cooler. Use fresh chicken on the first night. Use separate tongs and a separate plate for raw and cooked chicken, and wash your hands after handling it.
Swap the raw thighs for two 12.5-oz cans of drained chicken breast. Skip steps 2 and 4, and simmer the chicken in the sauce for 10 minutes. Use shelf-stable cheese in place of queso fresco and skip the sour cream and avocado.
Scrape the skillet into a trash bag, then wipe it with a paper towel. Strain dishwater through a fine mesh strainer, pack out the food bits, and scatter the water well away from camp and any water source.
Campers ask
What is chicken tinga?
It's shredded chicken simmered in a sauce of tomato, onion and smoky chipotle peppers, from Puebla, Mexico. It's usually served on tostadas, in tacos or on tortas.
How do I keep tostadas from getting soggy at camp?
Build them just before eating and keep the tinga thick, not soupy. Pack the shells flat and keep them dry until serving.
Can I make tinga milder?
Yes. Use one chipotle pepper and skip the extra adobo sauce. The seeds and sauce carry most of the heat.
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