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Crispy, oven-baked tostadas topped with shredded chicken and colorful sauteéd veggies. These Chicken and Veggie Baked Tostadas are a lightened up, wholesome meal you can get on the table in about 30 minutes.
I’ve been using this method to make tostadas for so long that I honestly can’t remember when it began. It was purely out of my deep and enduring love of corn tortillas that I decided to try this cleaner, less oil method of baking them until crisp and I’ve never stopped.
Tostadas are pretty much a constant craving for me so I was compelled to find a way to lighten up this Mexican classic.
My meatless Veggie Tostadas use a slightly different but very similar method and were one of the first recipes on Valerie’s Kitchen to garner a ton of attention. That was nearly eight years ago now (wow, how time flies!). That big reader response clued me in to the fact that I was on to something. People LOVE their Mexican food and they want to find a way to include it in a healthy diet.
Lightened-Up Mexican Food
Well, friends, there is a whole lot more to Mexican food than the over-the-top cheesy dishes that might come to mind. It’s easy to lighten things up and add some great nutrition and fiber with these crazy-delicious Chicken and Veggie Baked Tostadas.
In addition to being wholesome and light, these baked tostadas are incredibly quick and easy to put together with the help of a rotisserie chicken.
How to Make Baked Tostadas
Line a baking sheet with foil, coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray and preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
Note – I’m demonstrating making 4 tostadas in the step-by-step photos below but I’ve written the recipe to make a total of 8 tostadas.
I place 4 corn tortillas on the foil-lined baking sheet, offsetting them so they don’t touch. Then I use a pastry brush to lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable or canola oil. I like to prepare the other ingredients before baking the tortillas so that I’m ready to load them up just as soon as they come out of the oven.
The Chicken and Veggie Topping
Let’s make the chicken and veggie topping!
The topping consists of diced zucchini, bell pepper, jalapeno, and sliced onion that is tossed with a little olive oil and sauteéd just until fork-tender. The veggies are seasoned with a little Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix.
Then it’s time to add the shredded rotisserie chicken (a huge time saver) and frozen corn (no need to thaw) and cook, stirring, until heated through. A squeeze of fresh lime juice finishes it off.
Once the topping is ready it’s time to bake those tostadas. Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes then flip the tortillas and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes until they are golden brown and toasted. Don’t be tempted to cook them too long. The tortillas will continue to crisp up a bit after they come out of the oven.
I love the color contrast and flavor from refried black beans but you can opt for regular refried beans if you prefer.
I top each crispy baked tostada with a little of the warmed beans and the chicken and veggie mixture.
Let everyone add the toppings they love. I always put out shredded cheese, plenty of sliced avocado, cilantro, light sour cream, and a variety of hot sauces.
You can really load them up or keep it light – it’s up to you!
This one is for me!
These baked tostadas are amazing. So clean, the tortillas are perfectly crisped but not greasy, tender chicken and yummy veggies. A fabulously healthy choice for a busy day.
Chicken and Veggie Baked Tostadas
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced and cut into approximately 1- to 2-inch pieces
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 16 ounces black or traditional refried beans
- 1/2 cup frozen corn (no need to thaw)
- 1 teaspoon Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
- 3 cups finely shredded rotisserie chicken breast
- 1/2 lime
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 corn tortillas
Optional Toppings:
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- cilantro
- avocado
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil.
- Place zucchini, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil (reserve remaining oil). Set aside.
- Place refried beans in a saucepan and warm over MEDIUM-LOW heat.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a 12-inch non-stick pan and place over MEDIUM heat. Add veggie mixture and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just barely fork tender, and then add frozen corn and Taco Seasoning Mix. Add chicken and cook, stirring, just until chicken is warmed through and veggies are fork tender. Squeeze lime juice from 1/2 a lime into pan, remove from heat and toss. Set aside.
- Place 4 corn tortillas on each baking sheet, offsetting them so they don't touch. Add vegetable oil to a small dish. Use pastry brush to lightly coat both sides of tortillas with vegetable oil. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes then flip the tortillas and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Don't be tempted to cook too long. Tortillas will continue to crisp up a bit after they come out of the oven.
- Top tortillas with a layer of warmed refried beans and top with a little of the chicken and veggie mixture. Garnish the tostadas with the toppings of your choice.
Gergana Hearp says
This recipe is so good and easy to make. It’s a different spin on Mexican food, so delicious. My kids requested it twice this week. I used boneless chicken thighs, and cooked it with the taco seasoning. It’s a very simple recipe, great for school nights. I would give it 10 stars, not just 5 🤗 Definitely try this recipe.
Valerie says
Finding healthy recipes that make the kiddos happy is the best! Thanks so much for your comment, Gergana 🙂