Whip up restaurant-quality Cheesy Chicken Tostadas right in your own kitchen. With succulent chicken smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce on top of a crispy oven-baked tortilla, this is one you will make again and again. With a few simple steps and my personal tips, you can bring vibrant Southwestern flavors to your dinner table.
If you are looking for a recipe that will have your family begging for more, don't miss these easy-to-make chicken tostadas.
They are great for family dinners and casual entertaining. Pair them with a fresh salad and some Bacon Guacamole, and you have a meal you will turn to again and again.
Ready to bring a fiesta to your house? Let's get started!
Ingredients
- Diced Onion: This humble kitchen staple adds a punch of flavor and a bit of crunch.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Quartered cherry tomatoes add a fresh burst of sweetness and color to our dish. And if you can't find cherry tomatoes, any small, sweet tomato will do the trick.
- Cilantro: Cilantro brings a unique, citrusy freshness that really elevates the flavors. Not a fan? You can substitute with parsley!
- Lime Juice: A squeeze of lime juice adds that perfect tangy kick. Fresh is best, but bottled will work in a pinch.
- Corn Tortillas: The base of our tostadas. You can substitute for any other kind of tortilla.
- Chicken: We're using boneless chicken thighs for their juicy tenderness, but feel free to use breast if you prefer leaner meat.
- Coconut Oil: For sautéing our onion and poblano peppers. It adds a subtle sweetness. Feel free to substitute with your favorite cooking oil
- Poblano Peppers: These add a mild heat and a depth of flavor without overpowering the dish. Can't find poblanos? Bell peppers make a great substitute.
- Garlic, Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, and Sea Salt: These seasonings and spices add a lot of flavor to this dish.
- Tomato Paste and Apple Cider Vinegar: They add tanginess and depth to our chicken. The vinegar also helps tenderize the meat.
Cheese Sauce
- Bone Broth or Chicken Stock: To keep our chicken moist and flavorful. Homemade is always best, but store-bought works too!
- Butter and Flour: The base of our cheese sauce. They create a roux that we'll build our creamy, cheesy sauce on.
- Milk: Helps create a smooth and velvety cheese sauce. Any type will do, so use what you have on hand!
- 4 Cheese Mexican Blend: This blend melts beautifully and brings a delicious creaminess to our tostadas. If you don't have a blend, any mix of cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella will work.
Step by Step
Let's get started with our Cheesy Chicken Tostadas! First, in a small bowl, mix together your onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. Toss in lime juice and set aside for later.
Next, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Grab a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, and spray it with your favorite high-heat oil. Arrange your tortillas on the sheet and put them into the oven. After five minutes, flip the tortillas over and let them bake for another five minutes until they are crispy.
While your tortillas are cooking, get a large skillet and heat up coconut oil over medium-high heat. Toss in onions and peppers and let them cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Then add your chicken to the skillet and cook until brown on both sides, which should take around 6 minutes.
Sprinkle in your garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt, and give everything a good stir. Add your tomato paste in and cook until everything is well combined. Finish off your chicken filling with vinegar and some bone broth, and let it all simmer for another 5 minutes.
Now, let's move on to the cheese sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter. Add flour and whisk it all together for a minute or two until lightly brown. Pour in your milk and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce your heat to medium-low and stir in your Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (or the cheeses of your choice). Keep stirring until the cheese has melted.
Layer your crispy tortillas with your newly made chicken, followed by the cheese sauce. Top it all off with the onion mixture and a few slices of jalapeños. And there you have it - your very own Cheesy Chicken Tostadas! Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Prep Ahead: One of the secrets to a stress-free kitchen is to prep your ingredients ahead of time. Chop your veggies, marinate your chicken, and even make your cheese sauce in advance. This way, when it's time to cook, all you have to do is assemble and bake!
- Get Creative with Toppings: While this recipe calls for a specific set of toppings, don't be afraid to play around with what you have on hand. Grilled corn, black beans, or even a sprinkle of cotija cheese can add a delicious twist to your tostadas.
- Choosing Your Chicken: I love using boneless chicken thighs for their juiciness and tenderness, but feel free to use any cut you prefer. Leftover roast chicken or even store-bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly here too!
- Cooking for Kids: If you're cooking for little ones or anyone who's not a fan of heat, you might want to skip the jalapenos. Instead, serve them on the side for those who dare!
- Make It Vegetarian: You can easily make these tostadas vegetarian by replacing the chicken with a mix of beans and grilled veggies. Trust me, they'll be just as delicious!
- Make it Easier: If you don’t have time to make the cheese sauce, skip it! Just melt a little Mexican Blend on top and you will be good to go.
Storing
Here's how you can store those Cheesy Chicken Tostadas for an easier dinner later.
First, let's talk about refrigeration. Before you do anything else, make sure your tostadas have cooled down completely to room temperature.
Then, store the components of the tostada separately. Keep the tortillas, chicken filling, cheese sauce, and toppings each in their own airtight containers. This way, everything stays fresh, and you get to enjoy a perfectly assembled tostada later.
If you have already made a tostada that you couldn't finish eating, no worries! You can just put that in its own container as well.
Tostada components should keep in the fridge for about three days, but your will want to eat your already made tostada within the first day or so.
Now, if you're thinking about freezing them for a much later date, again, ensure your tostadas have completely cooled.
I wouldn't recommend freezing the fresh toppings or cheese sauce, but the chicken filling? Absolutely!
Transfer it into an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag that'll lay flat. This will hold up in your freezer for up to 2-3 months.
When you're ready to finally eat the tostadas, thaw your chicken filling in the fridge overnight. To reheat, simply warm it up on the stovetop over low heat or give it a quick spin in the microwave until it's heated through.
Assemble your tostada with a fresh tortilla, even more cheese sauce (if you made a fresh batch), and your favorite toppings. Then, try not to miss it too much after you've eaten it.
Cheesy Chicken Tostadas
Ingredients
Tostadas and Topping
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 tablespoons cilantro diced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 8 corn tortillas
Chicken
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 poblano peppers seeded and diced
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup bone broth or chicken stock
Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoons flour (gluten free if desired)
- 1 cup milk
- 8 ounces 4 Cheese Mexican Blend
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine onion, tomato and cilantro. Toss with lime juice and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 420. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray well with a high heat oil. Arrange tortillas on baking sheet. Bake for five minutes, flip, and bake an additional five minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt and stir well. Add tomato paste, and cook until well combined. Stir in vinegar and bone broth and cook for another 5 minutes.
Cheese Sauce
- To make Cheese Sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for a minute or two, until lightly brown. Stir in milk and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican Blend. Cook until melted.
- To assemble, place chicken on tortillas. Add cheese sauce, onion mixture and jalapeños.
Shannon Graham
Some of the best tostadas I've ever seen!