Go Back
+ servings
A bowl of salad dressing and a spoon rest on a baking sheet with tostadas.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

BBQ Chicken Tostadas

Crispy corn tortillas topped with a saucy BBQ chicken mixture, crunchy shredded cabbage, cheese and jalapeno Ranch dressing. These easy BBQ Chicken Tostadas are a super satisfying busy day meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex
Servings: 6 tostadas
Calories: 587kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • crushed red pepper flakes to taste
  • ¾ cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • cup vegetable oil divided, or as needed to fry tortillas
  • ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¾ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
  • 10 ounce bag angel hair coleslaw (or finely shredded green cabbage)
  • ½ cup jalapeno Ranch dressing (like Litehouse brand)

Optional Toppings

  • cilantro leaves, diced red onion, avocado or guacamole

Instructions

  • Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Sauté in hot oil for a minute or two. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, pepper, and a little crushed red pepper, if desired. When the chicken has cooked through, add the BBQ sauce and reduce the heat to LOW. Allow to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For the Crispy Tortillas

  • While the chicken is simmering, pour about ¼ cup vegetable oil (or enough to generously coat the pan) into a medium nonstick frying pan and place over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. When the hot and shimmering, but not smoking, carefully slide in a corn tortilla. Allow it to cook for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Use tongs to flip the tortilla and continue to cook until crisp and browned on the other side. Transfer the cooked tortilla to a double layer of paper towels to drain and blot excess grease with additional paper towels. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding additional vegetable oil as needed.
    See alternate "oven-fry" method in Notes section below.
  • Top the cooked corn tortillas with BBQ chicken, a little cheese, shredded cabbage, a 2nd layer of cheese, and a drizzle with jalapeno ranch. Garnish with optional toppings, if desired.

Notes

Nutrition information was calculated including tortillas fried on the stove. Follow instructions below for a less or no-oil method.
How to Oven-Fry Corn Tortillas
Place 4 to 6 corn tortillas on a baking sheet (lined with foil for easy cleanup) offsetting them so they don’t touch. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable or canola oil or ditch the oil completely and use nonstick cooking spray (I like avocado oil spray). Bake them in a preheated 450 degree F 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 them too long. Tortillas will continue to crisp up a bit after they come out of the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tostada | Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 1333mg | Potassium: 809mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 273mg | Iron: 2mg