Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina, ground chile and salt. Add the water and knead until completely incorporated and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetable oil and knead until thoroughly combined. It should be as soft as playdough and hold its shape when rolled into a ball. Cover with a wet kitchen towel and let rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes to fully hydrate.

Step 2

Preheat a comal, cast iron, or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Line your tortilla press with a couple pieces of plastic cut into rounds (produce bags from the grocery store are perfect for this). Place a small bowl of water next to you. Divide the masa into 10 pieces, keeping it in the bowl and covered. One by one, roll each piece of masa into a ball of about 2¼ inches, using the water to moisten your hands as needed.

Step 3

Open the tortilla press, set a piece of plastic on the base, place a ball of mass on top in the center, and cover with the second piece of plastic. Gently press down, one or two times, until you get a very chubby tortilla of about ¼ to ⅓ inch thick and about 4 to 4¼ inches around. Alternatively, you may shape the gorditas with your hands.

Step 4

Transfer the gordita to the preheated comal and let it cook, without moving it, for about 5-6 minutes on the first side, until the bottom half seems cooked and has changed in color slightly and started to freckle. Flip and cook another 5-6 minutes, until the second side begins to freckle and brown. Flip again and cook another 2 minutes per side until they are ready, taking care not to burn the outside. You know they’ve cooked when they seem to want to puff if you press them with your fingers.

Step 5

Remove from the comal. Holding with a kitchen towel, if need be, run a small sharp knife through the gordita about ⅔ of the way, without cutting all the way through, to create a pocket. You may want to wet the knife to help slice through, as the masa may still be doughy in some areas.

Step 6

Wrap the gorditas in a clean kitchen towel, or place in a tortilla holder, as you move along to keep warm. Once ready, fill the gorditas with the Creamy Chipotle Chicken, or your preferred filling, and place back on the comal for a minute to completely heat through. Then garnish with shredded lettuce, avocado slices and crumbled queso fresco.

Step 7

Note: To make your own chile powder: Remove the stems and seeds from 2 ounces dried colorado, guajillo, New Mexico or Hatch chiles. On a preheated comal or skillet, set over medium heat, toast the chiles for about 1-2 minutes, flipping as they toast and brown, being careful not to let them burn. Remove from the heat once they are fragrant, browned and toasted, and their fumes have released. When cool enough to handle, process in a spice or coffee grinder, or small food processor, until finely ground. This will make ¼ cup or about 4 tablespoons.