This is a dish that I would describe as being vaguely Southwestern. While it is delicious, it is mildly flavored and may not be to the liking of those who relish the heat of true Southwestern or Mexican cooking. Children, however, really enjoy these tostadas, and, better still, those ten and older can make the dish by themselves if there is an adult nearby. I found the recipe in Family Circle  magazine and knew it would work well for a light family meal when the clan gathers this July. Convenience dictated a few simple changes to the recipe, so I used boneless rather than bone-in chicken thighs and swapped flour tortillas for the corn suggested by the recipe developer. In order to control the fat content of the dish, I decided to mist the tortillas with cooking spray instead of brushing them with oil. Save for those changes, the recipe is as it appears below. If you decide to try these, be sure to go the whole nine yards and make the pink onions as well. While they serve as a garnish, they also add a bit of pep to an otherwise mild dish. I do hope you'll try these. Here's how they are made.

Chicken Tostadas with Pink Pickled Onions

Ingredients:

Pink Pickled Onions
1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Chicken Tostadas
1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing tortillas

1 cup diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

8 corn tortillas

Shredded pepper Jack cheese (optional)

Fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1) To make pickled onions: Combine onion, vinegar, sugar, salt and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; simmer 1 minute. Pour into a heat-proof bowl, cover and chill until using.

2) To make tostadas: Combine chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture on chicken thighs. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, lidded saute pan on medium-high heat. Sear chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side; remove to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add onion; saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Pour tomatoes and broth into pan, scraping brown bits from bottom. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken to pan and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Remove chicken, discard bones and shred meat. Return to pan. Keep warm.

3) To prepare tortillas: While chicken simmers, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with vegetable oil and place them in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes, turn and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil and set aside. Remove chicken, shred and return to pan; discard bones.

4) To assemble: Place one tortilla on plate. Transfer a bit of chicken mixture to tortilla using a slotted spoon. Place another tortilla on top. Garnish with pickled onion and, if desired, cheese and cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

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