Crispy corn tortillas layered with spiced chipotle chicken, creamy refried beans, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream and cheese. A fun and colourful Mexican meal.
These Chipotle Chicken Tostadas are fresh, spicy and full of flavour. Crispy corn tortillas layered with spiced chipotle chicken, creamy refried beans and fresh toppings, making them perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a relaxed weekend meal where everyone can build their own. For more Mexican-inspired meals, be sure to check out our popular recipes for Beef Quesadillas, Chicken Fajitas or my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
Ingredient notes:
- Chipotle sauce: Chipotle sauce adds a smoky heat and depth of flavour to the chicken. It's not overly spicy, but brings warmth and richness that pairs beautifully with the fresh toppings and creamy sour cream. If you have kids sensitive to spice you may want to reduce the amount and add a little tomato paste instead.
- Refried beans: Refried beans are cooked and mashed beans, usually pinto or black beans, that are creamy and mildly seasoned. They act as a delicious base for the tostadas, helping to hold everything together and stop the toppings sliding off. They're optional, but highly recommended for both texture and flavour.
- Chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are ideal for this recipe as they stay juicy and tender when cooked over high heat. You can use chicken breast instead, but it tends to dry out more quickly, so take care not to overcook it.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Add the chicken thighs to a bowl with the garlic, ground coriander, cumin, salt and 2 Tbsp of the chipotle sauce. Mix well and set aside to marinate.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the corn tortillas for about 45 seconds on each side until lightly golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, starting hot to get colour, then reducing the heat slightly until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Add the remaining chipotle sauce to the pan and let it bubble for a minute. Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
While the chicken cooks, prepare the toppings by shredding the lettuce, dicing the tomatoes and avocados, slicing the red onion, grating the cheese and cutting the limes into wedges. Heat the refried beans in a small saucepan or in the microwave, for a few minutes until hot.
To assemble, spread a spoonful of refried beans over each tostada, top with the chipotle chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and cheese. Finish with sour cream, lime juice, fresh coriander and optional jalapeños.
If you like the look of these, you might also enjoy our Loaded Tortilla Chicken Cups.
Recipe FAQs:
If you don't want to deep fry the tortillas, brush them lightly with oil and bake on a tray at 180°C fan bake for about 8 minutes, turning once. Watch closely as they can burn easily!
A tostada is a crispy, flat corn tortilla that's fried or baked until crunchy, then topped with meats, beans and fresh toppings. Think of it like a Mexican-style open flat taco or a giant crunchy base for piling things on.
Pick it up and eat it like a giant nacho, taking bites as you go. Because it's thicker and sturdier than a chip, it usually holds together well, but some toppings will fall off, that's part of the fun. A knife and fork are handy at the end to scoop up anything left on the plate.
Absolutely. Tostadas are all about mixing and matching. Add avocado, corn, pickled onions, extra cheese or hot sauce, whatever you love and have on hand. You can experiment with changing up the protein and having a beef or pork mince topping
Storage:
Store the components separately and assemble fresh just before eating so you don't get a soggy corn tostada. Store the tostadas at room temp in an airtight container to keep them crispy and everything else in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing these.
Top tips:
- If you want to save time you can buy store made tostadas in a box in the Mexican section of most supermarkets (see below). Although making them fresh is the most tasty!
- If you want to make a bit of a sour cream drizzle you can add some fresh lime juice to it with a splash of water and pinch of salt then mix well.
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Chipotle Chicken Tostadas
Crispy corn tortillas layered with spiced chipotle chicken, creamy refried beans, lettuce, onion, tomatoes avocado sour cream and cheese.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 500g boneless chicken thighs
- 2 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- 100g chipotle sauce
Tostadas
- 8 corn tortillas
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil, or canola oil
Toppings
- ½ iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- ½ red onion, thinly diced
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 2 avocados
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 100g cheese, grated
- 1 can refried beans, 435g
To serve
- Fresh coriander
- Sliced jalapeños, optional
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to a bowl with the garlic, ground coriander, cumin, salt and 2 Tbsp of the chipotle sauce. Mix well and set aside to marinate.
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the corn tortillas for about 45 seconds on each side until lightly golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, starting hot to get colour, then reducing the heat slightly until cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the remaining chipotle sauce to the pan and let it bubble for a minute. Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the toppings by shredding the lettuce, dicing the tomatoes and avocados, slicing the red onion, grating the cheese and cutting the limes into wedges.
- Heat the refried beans in a small saucepan or in the microwave, for a few minutes until hot.
- To assemble, spread a spoonful of refried beans over each tostada, top with the chipotle chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and cheese. Finish with sour cream, lime juice, fresh coriander and optional jalapeños.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 548Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 520mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 23g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
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