A chalupa? I hear chalupa, and I instantly think of the Mexican loteria game we played growing up, Lol! And chalupa, a Mexican sandle, ha, ha, ha! And, then there is The Chalupa!!! The Big Bell! Oh, no, not that chalupa. I can’t say that I have ever tried one, but I think it looks like a tostada with various toppings. In this case, no need to run to the border, just step into your kitchen and get creative. And technically, yes, the chalupa is a tostada, but not just any tostada. Chalupas, like the ones prepared in Puebla, Mexico start with a thick, homemade corn tortilla. The tortillas are small and the chalupas are typically served as a snack, but eat enough of them and it becomes a tasty and satisfying meal. After the tortillas are fried, they are bathed in either red or green salsa’s. Simply topped with a little shredded pork and diced onion, but in this case it was chicken. And for more flavor, I served them with a fresh guacamole, crumbled queso fresco, cilantro and lime. Don’t forget the chiles torreados! Also included in today’s blog post are two more recipes that I prepared using that same finely shredded chicken I had previously prepared. The chicken freezes well and it’s not a bad idea to prepare a large batch and freeze it in 1 -2 cup portions, depending on how large your family is. This post is intended to give you some tips and ideas on what you can prepare once your salsa’s, sauces, tortillas and chicken have already been prepared. Leftovers get a bad wrap sometimes, but we love leftovers in our house! Simple and fresh ingredients is always a good starting point. #foodieforlife #mexicanfood
**And know that there is absolutelty nothing wrong with picking up your favorite store bought salsa’s, tortillas and roasted chicken for these recipes. The idea is to get in your kitchen, create and cook!
Chicken Chalupas
Ingredients
Yields 4 Servings
8 homemade corn tortillas, fried until crispy
1/2 cup salsa roja(toasted chile de arbol tomato)
1/2 cup salsa verde(charred tomatillo jalapeno)
1 full cup finely shredded (cooked) pork or chicken
Diced white onion
Chopped cilantro
Guacamole
Crumbled queso fresco
Lime wedges
To plate, top four chalupas(tostadas) with salsa roja. Then top the other 4 with salsa verde. Divide the shredded chicken among them. Garnish with onion, cilantro, guacamole, queso fresco and lime.
This batch of tortillas and sopes included a little chile powder for color and flavor. I cook the sopes on a dry comal(griddle), cool them and store in refrigerator. When I am ready to eat, I flash fry them in oil until crispy. Tops with your favorite ingredients.
After cooking boneless chicken in my pressure cooker a few months back, it has become my absolute favorite cooking method when I need finely shredded chicken! 2 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs with a little carne asada seasoning mixed with poultry seasoning, chicken broth and a little oilve oil. It is so flavorful! No fuss method, add it all to your slow cooker and cook it for 6 to 8 hours on low.
No time to prepare homemade corn tortillas? Some of your well stocked Mexican grocery stores will carry a slightly thicker, packaged corn tortilla. That tortilla would be perfect for this dish.
Type “Toasted Chile de Arbol Salsa” into the search bar to see full recipe on site. Go to the end of the blog post to see link for some of my favorite salsa recipes.
Chicken, Chorizo and Potato Tacos
Ingredients
Yields 4 Servings
2 cups diced white potatoes
Olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup uncooked Mexican-style chorizo
1/2 cup diced white onion
1 serrano or jalapeno, minced
1 cup shredded chicken(previously cooked)
1/3 cup your favorite salsa
Directions
1. Preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and spread out evenly. Season lightly with salt and pepper, cover pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir after 5 minutes and continue cooking this way until potatoes brown on most sides and are cooked all the way through.
2. Remove potatoes from pan onto a plate. In that same skillet, add the chorizo. Cook at medium heat for 5 minutes, crumbling as it cooks down. Add the onions and cook for another 3 minutes. Fold in the chicken until well combined. Add the salsa and potatoes. Cook for another few minutes just to warm through.
Type in Salsa Verde or Pico de Gallo into the search bar to se various recipes on site.
Crispy Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
Yields 4 Servings
8 corn tortillas, I used store bought, but homemade would be awesome!
Olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken, previously cooked
1 cup Green Chile Sauce
1 cup Pico de Gallo Salsa
*Shredded cheese, optional
Directions
1. Brush tortillas with olive oil on both sides, set aside. Preheat a comal or griddle pan to medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. While the comal is warming, go ahead and heat your green chile sauce on low and make sure your pico de gallo or other taco garnishes are ready to go.
3. Place the tortillas on the hot surface and cook for 1 minutes. flip over and cook for another 30 seconds. Fill with chicken on one half of the torilla and fold over to make a taco. Continue cooking, turning as needed until crispy! If you like, you could add some shredded cheese while the taco is cooking, so the cheese melts. I like to ladle some warm green chile sauce over the tacos and then top with pico de gallo.
Click onto picture above to see full recipe for Green Chile Sauce on site. In a hurry, get a little help from the market and purchase roasted green chiles in a can for this recipe.
Two of my must have tasty bites for any Mexican themed dinner ar Guacamole and Chiles Torreados. The chiles are simply fried in shallow oil until the skins blister. Click onto picture to see a variety of guacamole recipes on site.
Some of my favorite salsa recipes. Click onto picture to see full recipes on site.
