Yucatan Chicken Escabeche and Black Bean Tostadas
Serves: Makes 6-8 tostadas
 
Ingredients
  • 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large or 3 medium bone-in chicken breasts (about 1.5 lb. total)
  • 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 15 oz can La Morena refried black beans
  • 7 oz can La Morena sliced green pickled jalapeño peppers
  • Corn tortillas
  • Queso fresco
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime quartered
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep, 3-quart skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts, skin-side down and sauté until browned, about five minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and set aside.
  2. Add the sliced red onion to the skillet, reserving a few slices for garnish, and sauté over medium heat until softened, about five minutes.
  3. Add the oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and pepper, stirring to coat the onions. Saute for a few additional minutes until fragrant.
  4. Add the chicken broth and vinegar to the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Return the chicken breasts and any liquid that has accumulated on the plate to the skillet. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves.
  6. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken until cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.
  7. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and turn up the heat under the skillet. Boil the poaching liquid hard until reduced by half, about five minutes.
  8. As soon as the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, but still warm, remove the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Place the shredded chicken in a heat-proof bowl.
  9. Add the reduced poaching liquid including the onion to the bowl with the shredded chicken. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their husks and add to the chicken mixture. Stir to combine. (May be done up to one day in advance. If not using right away, refrigerate chicken mixture and reheat prior to serving.)
  10. Heat the refried black beans in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.
  11. Preheat a dry skillet over high heat. Add the corn tortillas to the skillet, one at a time, and heat them until softened, about 30 seconds to one minute per side.
  12. To assemble the tostadas, spread several tablespoons of beans on a warmed tortilla. Top with ¼ cup of the chicken mixture.
  13. Garnish each tostada with several slices of pickled jalapeños, crumbled queso fresco, the reserved onion slices and chopped cilantro. Spritz with lime and serve.
Notes
Queso fresco is a crumbly, white Mexican cheese with a mild sour-salty flavor.
Recipe by West of the Loop at https://www.westoftheloop.com/2014/10/03/chicken-escabeche-black-bean-tostadas-la-morena/