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Beer-Braised Chicken Tostadas with Schmaltzy Refried Beans

Beer-Braised Chicken Tostadas with Schmaltzy Refried Beans

These Beer-Braised Chicken Tostadas feature Schmaltzy Refried Beans topped with slowly braised chicken and finished with a host of crisp fresh vegetables, cheese, and Tajín.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 cast-iron pot
  • 1 cast-iron frying pan
  • 1 Food Processor optional
  • 1 potato masher optional

Ingredients
  

Beer-Braised Chicken

  • 3 whole chicken legs
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 sweet onion cut into wedges
  • 6 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste heaping
  • 1 (186ml, 6.5 fl oz) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 (473ml, 16 fl oz) can beer I used an amber ale
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 lime juiced

Schmaltzy Refried Beans

  • reserved chicken skin
  • 2 (540 ml, 19 fl oz) cans black beans ** drained and rinsed
  • ½ white onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 1 lime juiced

To Assemble

  • 8 corn tortillas
  • ½ cup neutral oil I used canola
  • 1 batch Schmaltzy Refried Beans see above
  • 1 batch Beer-Braised Chicken see above
  • ½ white onion finely diced
  • ¼ head savoy cabbage shredded
  • 1-2 jalapeños sliced thin on a mandolin
  • 3-4 radishes sliced thin on a mandolin
  • ½ cup feta crumbled
  • Tajín for sprinkling
  • fresh cilantro sprigs to garnish
  • lime wedges to garnish

Instructions
 

For the Beer-Braised Chicken

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F. If using a charcoal grill, organize the coals in two baskets on either side of the BBQ. Try to maintain a grill temperature between 275° and 325°F.
  • Separate the chicken legs into thighs and drumsticks. Remove and reserve any excess skin. Season the chicken liberally with salt and set aside.
    3 whole chicken legs
  • Pour the flour into a bowl and roll each chicken piece in the flour until coated. Set the chicken aside.
    ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • In a cast-iron pot brown the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
  • Add the onion and garlic to the pot and sprinkle generously with salt. Saute until the onion is just translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, chipotle peppers, beer, and honey. Bring the mixture up to a boil then take it off of the heat.
    1 sweet onion, 6 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 (186ml, 6.5 fl oz) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 (473ml, 16 fl oz) can beer, 2 tbsp honey
  • Return the chicken to the pot and cover. Transfer the pot either to the middle rack of the oven or the center of your charcoal grill. Cook the chicken for an hour and 20 minutes or until the meat is falling off of the bone. Take the chicken off of the heat and finish with the lime juice
    1 lime
  • Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a plate. Shred the chicken with two forks and remove the bones. Keep the meat warm until ready to serve. Reserve the braising mixture for future tortilla soup.

For the Beans

  • Place the reserved chicken skin in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Render the chicken fat out of the skin and then remove it from the pan.
    reserved chicken skin
  • Add the onion to the skillet along with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is just translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more.
    ½ white onion, 4 cloves garlic
  • Pour the beans and chicken stock into the frying pan and bring everything up to a simmer. Simmer the beans for 10 minutes before removing from the heat and placing them in a food processor. *** Add the lime juice and blitz until smooth. Taste and season with salt accordingly. ****
    2 (540 ml, 19 fl oz) cans black beans **, ½ cup chicken stock, 1 lime

For the Tostadas

  • Pour the oil into a large cast-iron skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the corn tortillas and fry until golden on both sides. Transfer the tortillas to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside them to drain.
    8 corn tortillas, ½ cup neutral oil
  • Top the tortillas with a spoonful of refried beans and a generous amount of chicken. Finish the tostadas with cabbage, jalapeño rings, radish, cilantro, feta cheese, onion, and a sprinkling of Tajín. Serve immediately with lime wedges and a round of beers.
    1 batch Schmaltzy Refried Beans, 1 batch Beer-Braised Chicken, ½ white onion, ¼ head savoy cabbage, 1-2 jalapeños, 3-4 radishes, ½ cup feta, Tajín, fresh cilantro sprigs, lime wedges

Notes

** You can also use pinto beans for this. 
*** You can also mash the beans with a potato masher for a more textured refried bean.
**** You can make the refried beans a few days in advance and reheat them on the stove or microwave. You might have to add a little extra chicken stock to loosen them up a bit. 
Keyword beer, black beans, chicken, corn tortillas, refried beans