Elevate your Taco Tuesday with these mouthwatering chicken tostadas!
Imagine biting into a crispy corn tortilla layered with creamy refried beans, tender spiced chicken, and fresh, vibrant toppings. The combination of textures and flavors is simply irresistible.
What I love about this recipe is how easy it is to customize.
Craving more heat? Add some jalapeños or hot sauce. Want it extra cheesy? Pile on that cotija or swap in your favorite shredded cheese blend. The possibilities are endless!
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Tostadas
Crispy Delight: The corn tortillas are baked to perfection, providing a satisfying crunch. They complement the toppings and elevate the overall eating experience.
Vibrant Presentation: With a colorful array of toppings like diced tomatoes, red onions, and cilantro, these tostadas offer a visually appealing dish.
Full of Flavor: The combination of seasoned chicken, creamy avocado, and tangy cotija cheese creates a delightful harmony of tastes.
Time-Saver: Despite its impressive appearance, this recipe is relatively quick to prepare. It’s great for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- Corn Tortillas: The crispy, crunchy base for your loaded tostadas.
- Vegetable Oil: Just a brush of oil helps these tortillas transform into the perfect tostada shell.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: They’re tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. The star of the show.
- Spices and Seasonings: A flavorful blend of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Refried Beans: The glue that holds it all together.
- Avocados: They add a rich element to every bite.
- Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion: These classic toppings provide a burst of flavor and texture.
- Cotija Cheese: It’s crumbled over the top for a salty, tangy kick.
- Chopped Cilantro: It brightens up the dish with its vibrant color and flavor.
How to Make Chicken Tostadas
These tostadas are so easy to whip up!
1. Prep the tortillas. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of the corn tortillas with oil. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes, flip, then bake another 5 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Set aside.
2. Season the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and shred with two forks.
4. Heat the beans. Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan or in the microwave until heated through.
5. Assemble the tostadas. To assemble the tostadas, spread a layer of refried beans on each crispy tortilla. Top with mashed avocado, shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cotija cheese and cilantro.
6. Serve and enjoy. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy your crunchy, flavorful chicken tostadas.
Tips for the Best Chicken Tostadas
These tostadas are even more impressive if you follow these tips and tricks.
- Let the chicken sit. Bring the chicken close to room temperature before cooking to prevent it from seizing up and releasing too much moisture.
- Pick the best avocados. Choose ripe avocados that yield to gentle pressure for the perfect creamy texture in your tostadas.
- Serve up some salsa variety. Offer a variety of salsas, such as pico de gallo, salsa verde, or chipotle salsa, for customizable heat and flavor.
- Add some citrus. Serve lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the tostadas to brighten the flavors.
- Try fun variations. Customize your tostadas with additional toppings like salsa, sour cream, pickled onions, or hot sauce to suit your taste preferences.
How to Store
If you have leftovers, keep them fresh with these tips.
To Store: Keep the components separate in air-tight containers in the refrigerator. The toppings and chicken will last 3-4 days, while the crispy tortillas can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: Freeze the cooked, shredded chicken in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and assembling fresh tostadas.
To Reheat: Warm the chicken and beans in the microwave or on the stovetop. Assemble the tostadas with fresh toppings just before serving.
Chicken Tostadas
12
servings10
minutes25
minutes232
kcalWith crispy shells, flavorful chicken, creamy beans, and fresh toppings, these chicken tostadas are sure to become a family favorite! The combination of textures and flavors can’t be beat.
Ingredients
12 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 can refried beans
2 avocados, mashed
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of the corn tortillas with oil. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes, flip, then bake another 5 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Set aside.
- Season the chicken thighs with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and shred with two forks.
- Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan or in the microwave until heated through.
- To assemble the tostadas, spread a layer of refried beans on each crispy tortilla. Top with mashed avocado, shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cotija cheese and cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy your crunchy, flavorful chicken tostadas!
Notes
- Charring the chicken slightly adds a nice smoky flavor. Don’t be afraid of some color on the meat.
- Bring the chicken close to room temp before cooking to prevent it from seizing up and releasing too much moisture.
- Use thick, sturdy tortillas for your tostada base so they can hold all the toppings without falling apart.
- Customize the toppings to your liking – salsa, sour cream, pickled onions, and hot sauce are other great additions.
