Quick Chicken Tostadas Recipe

Written By Correen

Hello, food enthusiasts! I am Jack Leo, the passionate admin behind Food Lovers Web.

Sprinkling the shredded cheese atop the hot pinto beans, then topping it with the warmed chicken mixture makes the cheese all gooey-good! Quite frequently we have a whole roasted chicken in the fridge…make your life easier too by picking off and shredding the chicken breasts for this chicken tostadas recipe. Use the remaining chicken for other recipes and the chicken bones to make a hearty chicken broth.

A sprinkling of onions is totally optional…do it if you like ’em, although I happen to know there are lots of folks out there that would rather not! Enjoy it your way, with no regrets. Finish off this crunch-fest with fresh sliced iceberg lettuce, chunks of fresh tomato, and a healthy-sized dollop of sour cream. We like extra “heat” so red pepper chili flakes, coarsely chopped fresh or pickled jalapenos or a dousing of hot sauce always accompanies our tostadas.

Chicken Tostadas Recipe with Preparations

Recipe Type: Main Dishes

Serves: 8 Chicken Tostadas

Chicken added to this classic tostadas recipe, usually a vegetarian main dish, supplies you with 9+ grams of protein per tostada. Have a couple of these tostadas for a power-filled meal; lunch or dinner, and the occasional got-the-crunchies breakfast.

Ingredients

Tostadas

  • 8 snack-sized flour tortillas; thinner tortillas fry up crispier
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil; high smoke point oil
  • 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion (about 1 cup); small diced, reserve 1/2 raw onion in a container for garnish
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast; shredded
  • 1 19+ oz can pinto beans; rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning; homemade or store-bought

Garnish

  • Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese; finely grated, melts better
  • Diced onions; reserved raw
  • Iceberg lettuce; sliced super thin
  • Sliced and cored tomatoes
  • Sour cream
  • Something spicy, such as red pepper chili flakes, fresh or pickled jalapenos, or your favorite hot sauce; optional

Instructions

  1. Pour 1/4 cup vegetable oil into a small frying pan, and bring up to heat; water flicked into a pan of oil should sizzle (be careful). Fry flour tortillas in hot oil one at a time, turning often until golden brown and crispy on both sides (turn down the heat as needed). Place the fried tortillas on paper towels lined baking sheets and warm them in a low oven.
  2. Saute 1/2 of the diced onion in 1 tablespoon of hot coconut oil, just until golden brown; about 8 to 10 minutes. Prepare the sauce by seasoning it with salt and pepper.
  3. In a microwave-safe bowl smash pinto beans with a fork, stir in 1/2 of the sauteed onions, 1/2 tablespoon of taco seasoning and salt and pepper; to taste. Right before assembling tostadas heat the pinto bean mixture in the microwave, at 1-minute intervals. Thoroughly stir each interval until the beans are heated through.
  4. Add cooked chicken into a remaining sauteed onion, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning, add in 2 tablespoons of water, stir and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed and chicken is heated through; about 10 minutes.

Assembly

  1. Spread a heaping tablespoon or two of pinto bean mixture on top of a fried, warm tortilla.
  2. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, 1/4 cup warmed chicken mixture and raw, diced onion.
  3. Top that with a small handful of lettuce, tomato chunks and a heaping dollop of sour cream.
  4. Season with red pepper chili flakes, jalapenos, or hot sauce, if desired.

Try
– Black beans instead of pintos
– Corn versus flour tortillas
– Mexican crema in place of sour cream

Tip: Bake the tortillas if you choose…brush both sides with vegetable oil, then bake in a 400°F oven until crisp, flipping once.

Optional Garnishes
– Avocado; sliced
– Roasted sweet corn niblets
– Cilantro; fresh, minced
– Lime wedges
– Queso fresco or cotija cheese; crumbled

Correen
Correen

Proud mother of two handsome hunks, a coconut popsicles addict, an avid salt popcorn lover and a bare footie gal when it comes to cooking.

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