By Christmas went the way I had hoped, again. Christmas Eve was Mama and me at the kitchen table with the lemon-butter-Dijon chicken from Averie Cooks I had made last year, and the homemade dinner rolls I had baked Saturday and frozen, and a small green salad with the Greek dressing I have been making since April 2016. Christmas Day Aunt Tammy drove in at eleven and we had a small ham and mashed potatoes and Mama’s green bean casserole and the rest of the dinner rolls. The catering schedule closed Saturday with the Frozen-themed cake delivered to the four-year-old. The savings envelope hit $415 by Christmas Eve.
And the recipe Tuesday was chicken tostadas. The trigger was the half pound of shredded leftover holiday chicken and the small remainder of ham in the fridge. Tostadas, if you have not had them, are crisped corn tortillas topped with refried beans, shredded meat, and a stack of cold toppings. The crisp tortilla is the key — the tortilla holds the toppings without bending or going soggy, the way a soft taco does.
The math: a pack of corn tortillas $1.49, a can of refried beans $0.79, the shredded chicken free from leftovers, a quarter cup of cotija cheese from a small package $0.99 worth, fresh cilantro $0.99, half a head of iceberg lettuce $0.59, salsa from a jar I had in the fridge, a small avocado $0.99, oil for frying. Total: about $5.40 for a dinner that fed Mama and me with two leftover tostadas for my Wednesday Sonic-shift lunch.
The technique is the crisping of the tortillas. You heat about a quarter inch of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. You fry each corn tortilla flat in the oil for about ten seconds per side, until it stops sizzling and turns crisp. You drain on paper towels. The shells go from soft and pliable to flat and crisp, like a homemade chip but tortilla-shaped.
You assemble at the table. Spread refried beans on the crisped tortilla. Top with shredded chicken (warmed in a small pan with a pinch of cumin and salt). Add chopped lettuce, a spoonful of salsa, sliced avocado, a sprinkle of cotija, and torn cilantro. Eat with both hands.
Mama said, when she ate the first one, baby, this is everything I needed Tuesday. The kitchen post-holiday has become the kitchen that turns leftovers into different dinners, and I have decided that the leftover-as-different-dinner is one of the most useful kitchen skills.
The recipe is below. The trick is the ten-second-per-side fry on the corn tortillas — do not skip the crisping step. Soft tortillas do not hold a tostada.
Chicken Tostadas
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 tostada shells (store-bought or oven-crisped corn tortillas)
- 1 can (15 oz) refried beans, warmed
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 cup shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat chicken thighs dry and rub all over with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the chicken. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and cook 6—7 minutes per side until cooked through and golden. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces directly in the pan, tossing it in the pan drippings for extra flavor.
- Crisp the shells. If using corn tortillas instead of store-bought tostada shells, brush them lightly with oil and bake at 400°F for 8—10 minutes, flipping once, until crispy and golden.
- Build the tostadas. Spread a generous layer of warmed refried beans on each tostada shell. Top with shredded chicken, then cheese, lettuce, and diced tomato.
- Finish and serve. Drizzle with sour cream and salsa. Add avocado slices and cilantro if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 720mg