GRILLED-CHICKEN TOSTADAS WITH TOMATILLO-CILANTRO SALSA

Grilled-Chicken Tostadas with Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa image

In this Mexican-styled recipe, blistered tomatillos meet fresh cilantro in a spicy, earthy salsa that ties together the other flavors in these crispy tostadas: smoky grilled chicken and creamy mashed beans spiced with chipotle in adobo, coriander, and cinnamon.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Thighs

Time 1h30m

Yield Makes 10 to 12

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1 tablespoon safflower oil
1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons minced chipotle in adobo (with sauce)
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can (15.5 ounces) red kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and dried
1/2 medium white onion, cut into 4 wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 jalapenos, stems removed
1 bunch cilantro
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon safflower oil
Tostada shells, sliced avocado, Mexican crema or sour cream, and shredded red or green cabbage, for serving

Steps:

Smashed Kidney Beans: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add coriander, chipotle in adobo, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 30 seconds more. Add cinnamon, beans with liquid, and broth; bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Smash beans with a fork or potato masher until creamy and spreadable, leaving some intact. Let cool until warm but no longer hot before serving (if beans are too hot, tostada shells will become soft), or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days (return to room temperature before serving). (Makes 2 1/4 cups.)
Tostadas: Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high. Add tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapenos in a single layer and cook, turning a few times, until blistered in places, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender with 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems, broth, lime juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Return skillet to medium-high heat; swirl in oil. Add chicken in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown in places but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups salsa (reserve the rest); reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, turning chicken a few times, until just cooked through and salsa has thickened and darkened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken in skillet into bite-size pieces, tossing to evenly coat.
Spread 2 tablespoons smashed beans onto each tostada shell. Top with shredded-chicken mixture, avocado, crema, cabbage, remaining salsa, and more cilantro; serve with lime wedges.