Easy Chicken Tostadas are perfect for a busy weeknight. This fast spin on chicken tostadas is done in about 20 minutes!
If given the choice of one type of restaurant to go to until the end of time, I would without a doubt pick something from south of the border. I love ordering tacos, nachos, and margaritas. Give me baskets upon baskets of tortilla chips with cups of salsa. I want it all.
Since I like to pretend to be a responsible adult, going out for all the tacos I can manage to consume isn’t a great idea. But! I can make recipes at home that are reminiscent of it. This Chicken Tostada recipe is perfect for that.
This great chicken recipe comes together in about 20 minutes. Additionally, it uses really simple and easy to find ingredients. Your family will love this fast easy dinner.
You jazzed up our dinners with this wonderful simple chicken dinner
Chicken Tostada Ingredients
One of the best parts about this recipe is the simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to see the recipe card and how to put this easy dinner together.
- Corn Tortillas
- Canned Corn
- Shredded Chicken
- Salsa
- Taco Seasoning
- Black Beans
- Cheese
Shredded Chicken
One of the things that makes this recipe so fast is by using pre-cooked chicken. I highly recommend that you use either shredded chicken that you have frozen or rotisserie chicken. It is the great thing that keeps this recipe 20 minutes.
How to Freeze Shredded Chicken
I love keeping shredded chicken in my freezer. It is simple to do too.
- Cook a large batch of boneless skinless chicken breasts or buy several rotisserie chickens.
- Shred the cooked chicken and allow it to cool. It should be cool enough to handle easily.
- Spread the cooked chicken on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer.
- Freeze for 1 hour. Then transfer the chicken to airtight containers and return to the freezer.
You can keep frozen chicken like this in the freezer for up to three months.
Salsa Recommendations
For these chicken tostadas, I would recommend using a store-bought salsa that isn’t too thin. I love my Blender Salsa, but it is on the thinner side and will likely make the tostada shells too soggy.
I used Pace Picante salsa (my kids prefer mild), and it worked perfect.
Taco Seasoning
If you live in the United States, you are probably very familiar with the packet of taco seasoning sold in the grocery store. While that packet will absolutely work in this recipe, if you would rather make homemade, I have a great homemade taco seasoning recipe.
I have the measurements you need to replace that grocery store packet, and also the measurements to make a big batch. If you make a big batch, you can just pull out 3 tablespoons any time you want to replace the store bought packet.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
How to Make Tostada Shells
The thing that will take these chicken tostadas from a make at home dinner to feeling like eating out is a great tostada shell. You can certainly buy them, but they are very easy to make.
Brush corn tortillas with vegetable oil. Do not use flour shells. There should be enough oil that each side has a nice shine to it, but there should not be so much that it pools.
Bake the tray of corn tortillas for 5 minutes. Take them out, flip them over, and then put them back in the oven with the pan rotated from its original position. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
The amount of time it takes to make your own shells is the perfect length of time to complete the rest of the recipe. Alternatively, if you want to use store-bought tostada shells, that would work as well.
Nordic Ware Baking Sheets
Make Vegetarian Tostadas
Once you realize how simple it is to make tostadas, you will want to top them with everything under the sun. If you are looking to make your diet a little lighter, make these amazing Tostadas! They are made with my crockpot pinto beans and are so light and delicious!
Vegetarian Tostada
Other Great Recipes
If you too are craving taco night every night, here are some suggestions:
- This Chicken Taco recipe is actually the best. My kids request it once a week.
- Cilantro Lime Rice is a must for me.
- And while this Taco Pizza does not exactly fall in the taco category, I’m adding it because it is such a hit with the kids.
If you make these Chicken Tostadas or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Easy Chicken Tostadas
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8.5 ounces corn drained
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (see more about using cooked chicken)
- 8 ounces salsa (see my salsa recommendation)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning storebought or homemade
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups colby jack cheese shredded
- fresh cilantro
- tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Lay the tortillas on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with the canola oil. Thick enough so that the whole side is shiney, but not so thick that you can see pools of oil. Flip them and brush the other sides. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping the tortillas half way through and rotating the pan. (Because ovens and baking pans vary, check on the tortillas every 2 to 3 minutes to ensure they do not burn. Keep in mind that while I would not use flour tortillas here, if you do, they will need less time.)
- While the tortillas are cooking, in a medium to large sauce pan, combine chicken, salsa, taco seasoning, corn, and black beans over medium heat. Cooking, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through. About 5 minutes.
- Add 1/2 a cup of the mixture to the top of each tortilla. Top with 1/4 a cup of cheese each, and place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is compltely melted.
- Top with cilantro and diced tomatoes.
Carl Pirro says
Thanks Lisa, recipe sounds great.
Barbara says
Love making these, especially on rushed days. If I’m at Costco, I buy their rotisserie chicken, break it down and package/freeze some of it to be used at a later date. However, I always leave enough out to make these Tostados. They’re quick and delicious! My family enjoys them as much as I enjoy making them.
I’m so happy that this has become a recipe you can fall back on!
Pam says
Sounds easy. Going to try it tonight. Don’t have lettuce in my fridge. Going to use refried beans. I use salsa mixed with plain yogurt to top over beans
I hope you love them!
Julie B. says
My tortillas burnt 😢
I’m so sorry to hear that!
Mary Anne says
May I use canned chicken from Costco?
Any cooked shredded chicken will work. I hope you enjoy it!
Kerry says
Do you use yellow corn tortillas or white?
I used yellow, but both will work, it’s just personal preference.
Stephanie says
This was great! So easy to make!
I’m so glad you liked it, Stephanie!
MegA says
This recipe was quick and delicious! Instagram recipes are always hot and miss but this one was a keeper! I switched black beans for pinto and skipped the cilantro and tomatoes and added guacamole instead. It was delicious! I added it to my recipe book to make again!
So glad to hear that you liked it!
Patty says
Delicious next time i will lower the oven temp as mine were a bit overcooked. Will def make again and again.
Karen says
Turned out great. Used refried beans as first layer and then salsa, chicken, cheese and topped with tomato and onion/cilantro
I’m so glad that you liked it!