Grilled Chicken Tostada With Creamy Jack Cheese Sauce

Grilled Chicken Tostada with Creamy Jack Cheese Sauce

Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

Serves: 4 People

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, boneless & skinless

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Veggie oil

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper

Tostada shells, from the grocery store

Shredded red cabbage

For the poblano & corn salsa:

2 poblano peppers

1 ear of corn

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoon red onions, finely chopped

Juice of half a lime

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Couple cracks of fresh pepper

For the Cheese Sauce:

1 cup Mexican blend cheese, grated

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper

Directions:

Make the spice rub by combing the smoked paprika and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and set aside. Season the chicken thighs with a generous pinch of spice rub and a good pinch of salt on each side. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the salsa by charring the poblanos and husked corn directly over the burner flame or on the grill. Slightly char corn on all sides, remove from heat, and cut kernels off the cob. Once the poblanos are well charred on all sides, place them in a ziptop bag for 10 minutes. Peel the skin away, remove the seeds, and finely chop. Add the chopped pobalnos to a bowl with the corn kernels and remaining salsa ingredients. Check for seasoning, you may need a little more salt or lime juice to make the flavor pop.

Make the cheese sauce by melting the butter with the flour in a medium size pot over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly and cook for 5 minutes until the color of the mixture is medium blonde. Add the milk and constantly whisk for 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens up a little bit and just coats the back of a spoon. Lower the heat to low, and one small handful at a time add all the grated cheese and continue to whisk. Season with a tiny pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Take off the heat and check for seasoning, you may need a touch more salt.

Pre-heat a cast iron grill pan or BBQ grill over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes each side, only flipping once. Remove from heat and let rest a couple minutes.

Toss the shredded cabbage with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and a good squeeze if lime juice. Place some of the seasoned cabbage on the tostada shell. Add a little bit of poblano salsa and then some thinly sliced chicken. Top with a little more salsa and drizzle over a good amount of cheese sauce. Serve and enjoy!