Crisp Corn Tostadas with Chicken, Refried Beans and Avocado
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
Crisp baked corn tostada shells are layered with smooth refried beans, lime-tossed shredded chicken and fresh avocado for a quick, colourful plate. Shredded lettuce and crumbled queso fresco add crunch and a salty finish.
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Method
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Equipment
- 2 large baking trays
- pastry brush
- wire rack
- large frying pan (30 cm), preferably non-stick
- potato masher
- bowl
- instant-read thermometer
- two forks
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 675 kcal |
| Protein | 43.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 55.5 g |
| of which sugars | 3.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| of which saturates | 5.1 g |
| Fibre | 13.4 g |
| Salt | 1.95 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Tortillas
- 8 small corn tortillas (15 cm) about 208 g
Tostada shells
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
Refried beans
- 800 g canned pinto beans (2 cans), drained and rinsed about 480 g drained
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped about 100 g
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 150 ml water
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt about ¼ tsp
Chicken
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced 1 cm thick
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt about ¼ tsp
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
To top
- 100 g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- 60 g queso fresco or feta, crumbled (check the rennet)
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced about 150 g flesh
- 10 g coriander leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1
Bake the tostada shells. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Brush the tortillas lightly with the 2 tbsp oil on both sides and lay them in a single layer across the two trays. Bake for 8-12 minutes, turning once and swapping the trays halfway through, until golden and crisp right out to the edges; they firm up further as they cool on the rack. Turning and swapping trays evens out the oven's hot spots so every shell crisps at roughly the same rate.
- 2
Cook the refried beans. Heat 2 tbsp oil in the frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and turning golden. Stir in the garlic and cumin for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the beans, water and the 1/4 tsp salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Mash with a potato masher until thick and creamy, like soft hummus, then scrape into a bowl, cover and wipe out the pan; the mash thickens slightly as it cools, so don't worry if it looks a touch loose at first.
- 3
Cook the chicken. Toss the sliced chicken with the cumin, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, then cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes, stirring now and then, until browned and the thickest piece reaches 74°C on a thermometer. Take the pan off the heat, pull the chicken into rough shreds with two forks and toss through the lime juice, which adds a bright lift against the richness of the beans and cheese.
- 4
Build and serve. Spread each crisp shell with a layer of the warm beans, then pile on the chicken, lettuce, queso fresco, avocado and coriander. Serve the tostadas straight away with lime wedges on the side, since the shells soften quickly once the warm toppings go on and are best eaten without delay.
Storage
Refrigerate the cooked chicken and beans separately within 1 hour and use within 3 days, reheating once until piping hot (74°C). Keep the shells airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days, stored separately from the toppings, and assemble just before eating. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
