Entegra Coach Kitchen: Slow Cooker Mexican Spicy Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Tacos and tostadas aren't just for Tuesdays or Cinco de Mayo celebrations! Whether you're a full-time RVer or weekend warrior, they are perfect for all travel days. Figuring out what food to bring on an RV trip isn't always simple, but tacos work well for a few reasons:

1.They come together quickly, especially if you cook your protein and prepare any toppings in advance.

2.Tacos can be easily made for one to two people or even a crowd.

3.They offer a variety of flavors for people who are picky or have dietary restrictions.

4.They are so delicious!

Whether we are moving or not, tacos are a necessity that make their way into our meal plans every week or two.  Even though tacos are on the menu a lot, we always switch up the recipe. I make them with seasoned ground beef or turkey, carne asada or grilled chicken and sometimes slow-cooked chicken tinga!  One thing I love about this recipe for chicken tinga is how well it freezes. Who doesn't love a recipe where you cook once and get two or three meals out of it?

I usually make this in my Crockpot. But if you hate doing the dishes, as I admitted in my blog about the Mushroom, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata, you can make this in your multi-cooker or on the stovetop. I've included adaptations for cooking in these.

The Recipe:

Equipment Needed:

- 10-inch non-stick skillet

-Wooden spoon

-Spatula

- Knife

- 3.5 Quart Slow-Cooker/Dutch Oven/Multi-Cooker

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients:

·       2-2 ½ lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts

·       2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

·       1 Lg yellow onion, sliced

·       3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

·       1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced (optional)

·       2-4 canned chipotle peppers, seeded and minced

·       1 Tbs chili powder

·       1 Tbs ground cumin

·       ½ Tbs oregano

·       1-2 bay leafs

·       1 cup chicken stock

·       1 - 15oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

·       1 - 8oz can of tomato Sauce

·       1-2 Tbs Adobo Sauce (from the canned chipotle peppers)

·       Salt & pepper

Tostadas

Your favorite tostada toppings (we love refried beans, diced onion, shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced radish, avocado or guacamole, cheese, tomato, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime)

Instructions:

1.Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in your slow cooker.

2.Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

3.Add the onions and jalapeno pepper to the oil and sauté until they start to soften.

4.Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

5.Add the chili powder, cumin and oregano to the vegetable mixture and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.

6.Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken stock and scraping the bottom of the pan for any crusty bits and pieces.

7.Stir in the minced chipotles, adobo, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce and cook for 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens.

8.Pour the tomato mixture over the raw chicken in the slow-cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

9.Shred the chicken using two forks.

*Multi-Cooker: To adapt this recipe for your multi-cooker, skip step #1 and continue with steps #2-7 in your multi-cooker. Add the chicken to the sauce.  Cover, ensuring that the lid is sealed for pressure cooking. Cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a 5-minute natural release. Shred the chicken using two forks.

*Stove Top: Skip step #1 and continue with steps #2-7 in a large Dutch oven. Simmer the sauce on low heat for 1-2 hours. Add the chicken to the sauce and cook on low heat for an additional 20 minutes. Shred the chicken using two forks.

Serving Suggestions:

You might serve Chicken Tinga as a tostada, but it will be equally delicious in a taco, burrito or enchilada and tasty on nachos or in a salad.  I like to start with a thin layer of refried beans followed by some chicken tinga for tostadas. Topping the tostada with chopped white onion, shredded lettuce, sliced radish, cheese and cilantro makes it a meal!

Suggested Wine Pairing for Chicken Tinga:

I prefer to drink a margarita with lots of fresh limes and a little fresh lemon and orange juice with these tostadas! But if you're looking for a wine that will match the spicy chicken, look for a red wine that is low in alcohol and preferably something not aged in oak barrels since the alcohol and the oak will intensify the dish's spiciness.  Try Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages from France or an unoaked Pinot Noir, like Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir.      

Can you cook in an RV when it's moving?

One benefit of owning a luxury Class A motorhome is having access to the bathroom, refrigerator and kitchen while on the move. Yes, you can cook in your Entegra Coach Motorcoach while it's moving.  But just because you can doesn't mean you should! ???? That's not to say that I haven't had something cooking in the slow cooker while we are on the move. You can do it too.

Here are a few tips to make sure your dinner is a success when using a slow-cooker:

• Secure the lid using a bungee cord or completely wrap a towel around the top.
• Nestle the slow cooker in the sink with some towels under and around it to prevent it from moving.
• Be sure to have Auto-Generator turned on, plug the slow-cooker in and start it!