Sheet pan chicken tostadas
Corn tortillas baked into crunchy tostadas, spread with warm beans and piled with spiced chicken, melty cheese and fresh toppings.
- 40 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $2.37 a serving
- 530 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Most of the time here is hands-off, so you can sit down while it cooks.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 can vegetarian refried beans
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- ½ cup pico de gallo (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
Each serving has about 530 calories, 41 g protein, 44 g carbs and 21 g fat, and costs about $2.37 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No chicken breasts? Boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins work.
- No Mexican blend cheese? Shredded cheddar or cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese works.
- No shredded lettuce? Iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce works.
- No limes? Lemons work.
- No pico de gallo? Salsa works.
- No sour cream? Plain Greek yogurt works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F and line two with .
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
the chicken with the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil on one pan and spread it out. Wash your hands and board.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Brush the tortillas on both sides with the rest of the oil and lay them on the second pan.
both pans 10 to 12 minutes, flipping the tortillas halfway, until the tortillas are and the biggest piece of chicken reads 165°F.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 11 min
Dolly’s tip: The tortillas crisp more as they cool, so pull them when they’re firm and golden.Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Spread each tostada with refried beans, top with the chicken and cheese, and 3 to 4 minutes more, until the cheese .
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 3 min 30 sec
Pile on the lettuce, pico de gallo and sour cream, and squeeze lime over the top.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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