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Easy Chicken Tostadas

5 from 53 votes
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posted: 01/29/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy
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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Easy Chicken Tostadas are perfect for a busy weeknight. This fast spin on chicken tostadas is done in about 20 minutes!

close up of a chicken tostada recipe on a wire cooling rack with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro

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.

READER REVIEW

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.

  1. Cook a large batch of boneless skinless chicken breasts or buy several rotisserie chickens.
  2. Shred the cooked chicken and allow it to cool. It should be cool enough to handle easily.
  3. Spread the cooked chicken on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer.
  4. 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.

overhead view of a corn tortilla chicken tostada recipe garnished with diced tomatoes and cilantro

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

This Homemade Taco Seasoning comes together fast with measurements for one pound of meat or for a whole container to keep in your pantry! Make it extra spicy or keep it mild. We use this recipe weekly!
bottle of spice jar with 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.

a hand using a silicon brush to spread vegetable oil onto an uncooked corn tortilla on a rimmed baking sheet with five other corn tortillas

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.

overhead photo of a rimmed baking sheet with six corn tortillas that have been baked to make homemade tostadas

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.

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Nordic Ware Baking Sheets

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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

These Tostadas make for a quick and easy dinner that your family will love! These are even quick enough that you could make them as a snack!
a tostada on a baking sheet
shredded chicken tostada on a rimmed baking sheet garnished with diced tomatoes and cilantro

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!

shredded chicken tostada on a rimmed baking sheet garnished with diced tomatoes and cilantro
5 from 53 votes

Easy Chicken Tostadas

Serves: 8 tostadas
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Easy Chicken Tostadas are perfect for a busy weeknight. This chicken tostada recipe is done in about 20 minutes!

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.
Serving: 1tostada Calories: 289kcal (14%) Carbohydrates: 28g (9%) Protein: 15g (30%) Fat: 12g (18%) Saturated Fat: 7g (44%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 52mg (17%) Sodium: 834mg (36%) Potassium: 67mg (2%) Fiber: 5g (21%) Sugar: 5g (6%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
shredded chicken tostada on a rimmed baking sheet garnished with diced tomatoes and cilantro

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Easy Chicken Tostadas

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Nicole says

    Just curious how many breasts this equals out to or the weight? It is hard to know how much to cook to get 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken.

    Thanks!

    • Lisa Longley says

      1 1/2 cups shredded chicken is about half a pound when they are raw.

  2. Brenda says

    This was amazing. Made according to receipt except used actural tostada shells which save a lot of time.

  3. Heidi says

    We absolutely love this recipe. My husband and I get 2 meals out of this. We’re on WW so it’s a 1 point meal because of the flour tortilla😊

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad that you like them!

  4. Kassidy says

    Do you still do step 1 or add any oil if using ready store bought tostado’s?

    Thanks!!

    • Lisa Longley says

      If you buy store bought tostadas, you skip step one.

  5. CK says

    Just made them tonight for the second time, they’re delicious! Easy to make. With my oven, I only had to bake the tortillas for about three minutes each side. Thanks for the great recipe.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad that you liked them!

  6. June says

    Looks so good! Making for dinner tonight. I will post again after dinner

    • Lisa Longley says

      I hope you loved it, June!

  7. Mercy says

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you enjoyed these!

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