Sweet Smoky BBQ Chicken Tostadas (Print Version)

Crispy tostadas piled with tender smoky BBQ chicken, fresh toppings, and creamy drizzle for a quick Tex-Mex dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie or grilled)
02 - 1 cup smoky BBQ sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Tostadas

05 - 8 corn tostada shells

→ Toppings

06 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
07 - 1 cup chopped tomatoes
08 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
10 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 - 1/3 cup sour cream

→ Optional Garnishes

13 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
14 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange tostada shells on a baking sheet and warm for 5 minutes until crisp and fragrant.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, honey or brown sugar, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is heated through and evenly coated, about 5 minutes.
03 - Arrange the warmed tostada shells on serving plates. Evenly divide the BBQ chicken mixture among each shell, spreading it into an even layer.
04 - Layer each tostada with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red onion slices, shredded cheese, avocado slices, and fresh cilantro.
05 - Drizzle sour cream over each tostada. Add jalapeño slices and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken comes together in five minutes flat, which means dinner is basically done before you finish setting the table.
  • Everyone builds their own tostada, so picky eaters and adventure seekers both leave happy.
02 -
  • Do not skip warming the shells because cold tostadas taste stale and bend under the weight of the toppings.
  • Stir the chicken gently rather than aggressively so the shreds stay intact instead of turning to mush.
03 -
  • Taste your BBQ sauce before adding honey because some are already plenty sweet and you do not want the chicken tasting like dessert.
  • Use two tostada shells stacked together for extra structural support if you tend to overload your toppings like I do.

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