Chalupas de Chilpancingo

Step 1: Put 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, ½ white onion, 1 clove from 1 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon of 1 tsp salt in a pan with 4 ¼ cups water. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and poach gently until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.

Step 2: Lift out the chicken and shred it finely with two forks. Keep 250 ml of the broth.

Step 3: Simmer 4 ripe tomatoes in the broth for 5 minutes until soft, then blend with 2 chipotle chillies in adobo, the rest of 2 cloves garlic, ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano, the rest of ½ tsp salt and the reserved broth until smooth.

Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry ½ white onion until soft. Pour in the sauce, simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens, then stir in the chicken and cook until the sauce clings and the chicken is hot.

Step 5: Mix 10 ½ oz masa harina with most of 1 ¾ cups warm water and knead until soft, smooth and slightly springy, like play dough; add more water if it cracks at the edges. Cover with a damp cloth.

Step 6: Roll the dough into 24 small balls and press each between two sheets of plastic in a tortilla press or under a heavy pan to 10 cm rounds, about 3 mm thick.

Step 7: Cook each round on a hot dry griddle over a medium-high heat for about 1 minute a side, until it lifts easily and has brown speckles. While still warm, pinch up a low rim around the edge.

Step 8: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a frying pan to 350°F, or until a scrap of dough sizzles at once. Fry the chalupas a few at a time, rim side up, spooning hot oil over, until crisp and golden at the edges, 1–2 minutes. Oil that isn't hot enough is the most common mistake: the tortillas soak it up and turn greasy and limp.

Step 9: Drain on kitchen paper, top each with a spoonful of chipotle chicken and finish with 1 white onion, 1 ¾ oz pickled jalapeño slices, 3 ½ oz queso fresco and ¾ cup red or green salsa.