Tostada Recipe

1. Poach chicken with ham hock

Place chicken thighs, ham hock, halved onion (no need to peel), smashed garlic cloves, bay leaf, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt into a large saucepan. Add 6 cups water and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, skim any foam, and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and ham hock is tender.

2. Remove chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, shred the thighs with two forks, discarding bones. Remove and reserve the ham hock meat (if any) and discard bone/skin pieces. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl and reserve 1 cup of broth for the beans (and extra for thinning beans or sauces). Adjust salt to taste in the reserved broth.

3. If using dried beans (advance step)

Soak 1 cup dried black beans in water overnight or use the quick soak: cover with 3 cups water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat and soak 1 hour. Drain.

4. Cook beans

Place soaked (or canned, drained) beans in a medium pot with 2 cups of the reserved chicken/ham hock broth (or water if not available). Add the smoked ham hock piece (or a chunk of the reserved meat) and simmer gently until beans are tender, 45–60 minutes for dried (10–15 minutes for canned to heat through and pick up flavor). Once beans are tender, remove ham hock, shred any meat and stir it back in if desired.

5. Season and mash

Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Lightly mash about one-third of the beans with the back of a spoon for a creamier texture. Stir in chopped cilantro if using. Keep beans warm.

6. Prepare tostada shells

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush both sides of corn tostada shells lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven 5–8 minutes until crisp and golden, flipping halfway. Alternatively, warm and crisp shells in a skillet over medium heat 1–2 minutes per side.

7. Warm shredded chicken

Rewarm shredded chicken briefly in a small pan with 2–3 tablespoons reserved broth or a splash of oil over medium heat, just until heated through. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

8. Assemble tostadas: spread a generous 1/4 cup black beans on each toasted shell. Top with a portion of shredded chicken (about 2–3 oz cooked chicken per tostada). Add shredded lettuce, a few slices of radish, and some crumbled cotija (about 2 tablespoons per tostada). Dot with pickled red onion if using.

9. Finish and serve: drizzle crema or a spoonful of sour cream over each tostada, add a teaspoon or so of salsa or hot sauce to taste, and squeeze a lime wedge over the top. Season with additional salt/pepper if desired. Serve immediately while shells are crisp.

10. Taste one assembled tostada and adjust: add more cotija for saltiness, more lime for brightness, or extra hot sauce for heat. Leftover broth can be chilled and reserved for another use.