Tostada

Tostada de Pollo (Mexican Crisp Tortilla with Chicken)

A classic antojito from Mexico: a flat corn tortilla fried or toasted until shatteringly crisp, then layered with refried beans, shredded chicken, crisp lettuce, crema and salsa. Eat with your hands.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •8 whole corn tortillas (15 cm / 6 in), fresh or good-quality store-bought
• •500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for frying, or enough to brush the tortillas
• •300 g (10½ oz) cooked chicken breast, poached or roasted, then shredded
• •120 g (¾ cup) refried black or pinto beans, homemade or good-quality canned
• •150 g (5 oz) romaine or iceberg lettuce, finely shredded, well dried
• •120 ml (½ cup) Mexican crema, or substitute sour cream thinned with a little milk
• •1 whole ripe avocado, sliced, optional topping
• •120 g (¾ cup) fresh tomato salsa, salsa roja or salsa verde to taste
• •60 g (½ cup) crumbled queso fresco or cotija, or feta as a substitute
• •1 small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• •1 whole lime, cut into wedges, for serving
• •1 to taste (to taste) fine sea salt

Steps

1. 1 Warm the shredded chicken gently with a splash of water and a pinch of salt until just steaming; keep warm. The chicken should reach 74°C / 165°F internal if reheated from cold.
2. 2 Heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat, loosening with a splash of water until spreadable; season with salt.
3. 3 Fry the tortillas: pour oil to a depth of about 1 cm / ½ in into a heavy skillet and heat to about 180°C / 350°F. Slip in one tortilla at a time and fry 30–45 seconds per side until rigid and lightly golden. Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle lightly with salt while hot. Alternatively, brush both sides with oil and toast on a dry comal or skillet over medium heat 2–3 minutes per side until crisp and spotted with brown.
4. 4 To assemble, lay a crisp tortilla on each plate and immediately spread a generous layer of warm refried beans over the surface.
5. 5 Top the beans with the shredded chicken, then a thick cushion of shredded lettuce, then slices of avocado if using.
6. 6 Drizzle with crema, spoon over the salsa, and finish with crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro.
7. 7 Serve at once with lime wedges on the side, while the tortilla is still audibly crunchy.