Chicken Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa

This easy chipotle-infused chicken tostada recipe is made with ground chicken (or ground turkey), fresh pineapple salsa, avocado crema, and piled on homemade tostada shells. Vegan-adaptable!

Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour. ~ Walt Whitman

Hooray for healthy, yummy chicken tostados!  These crispy little guys are full of delicious crunch, savory flavor, and fresh goodness! The fresh pineapple salsa is wonderfully refreshing and cooling, and together with the chipotle seasoned meat, and avocado crema,  it is a match made in heaven!

Using ground chicken or ground turkey offers up a quick, healthy protein boost, flavored up with chipotle powder and spices.  (Feel free to use your preference of ground meat or plant-based substitute.) The quick avocado cream is easy to whip up with a bit of lime juice and sour cream (or use Greek yogurt or a vegan sour cream).

We make our own homemade taco shells using leftover corn tortillas and a little spray of avocado oil.  These separate components come together quite easily, making this meal totally doable for a delicious weeknight dinner.

Ingredients in Chicken Tostadas

• Ground meat– ground turkey,  ground chicken, ground beef, ground lamb or pork, or try a vegan ground meat substitute, or try this vegan chorizo! 
• Fresh Pineapple 
• White onion & garlic
• Tomato paste
• Seasonings: salt , chipotle powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin
• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Fresh Lime
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Optional: cojita or feta cheese

How to Make Chicken Tostadas

STEP ONE – Make the Tostada Shells: Brush or spray both sides of corn tortillas with oil and bake in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes then flip and bake 5-8 minutes more until crispy and lightly toasty.

STEP TWO – Make the Pineapple Salsa: Mix together the diced pineapple, onion, chipotle powder, cilantro, lime juice and salt.  Set aside.

STEP THREE – Make the Avocado Cream: Mash the avocado with lime juice, sour cream, and salt until smooth and creamy.

STEP FOUR – Cook the ground chicken or turkey: In a bowl mix together spices and the ground chicken or turkey mixing until just combined.

STEP FIVE – Sauté the onions and garlic and seasoned meat.

How to Layer Chicken TostadAs

• 1. Spread avocado cream on a crispy tostada shell
  2. Layer with cooked and seasoned ground turkey
  3. Top with pineapple salsa
  4. Add shredded lettuce & fresh cilantro
  5. Add (optional) cotija or feta crumbles
  6. Serve with lime wedges

Chef’s Tips

• Combine spices into the ground meat gently until just incorporated; over-mixing can toughen the meat.
• Cook in clumps on the pan, browning on one side, then flip to the other side. Heat just until cooked through and then break up into crumbles with a spatula. Overcooking can lead to a tough texture.

Storage

Leftover salsa and ground meat will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Hope you enjoy!

~Tonia

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Chicken Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Tonia | Feasting at Home
• Prep Time: 45
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 Tostadas
• Category: dinner
• Method: oven and stove top
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Chicken Tostadas w/ fresh pineapple salsa, savory ground chicken or turkey (  or vegan ground meat), avocado cream & crispy homemade tostada shell. Vegan-adaptable.

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Ingredients

Units USM

• 8 corn tortillas ( or store-bought tostada shells)
• avocado oil or coconut oil spray

Pineapple Salsa

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced in 1/4″ cubes
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced small
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• juice of 1 lime about 3 tablespoons (more or less depending on how sweet the pineapple is)
• 1/8 sea salt

Avocado Crema

• 1 avocado
• juice of a lime
• 1/2 cup sour cream (dairy-free if preferred or greek yogurt is good too)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Tostada Meat

• 1 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey (ground beef, lamb, or plant-based ground meat substitute)
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons water

Toppings

• shredded lettuce (or cabbage)
• cojita or feta crumbles
• cilantro
• lime wedges

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Instructions

1. Make Tostada Shells: Brush or spray both sides of corn tortillas with oil and bake o a sheet pan in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes then flip and bake 5-8 minutes more until crispy and lightly toasty.
2. Make the Salsa: Mix together the diced pineapple, onion, chipotle powder, cilantro, lime juice and salt.  Set aside.
3. Make the Avocado Cream: Mash the avocado with lime juice, sour cream, and salt until smooth and creamy.
4. Cook the Meat: In a bowl mix together chipotle powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, sea salt, and tomato paste.  Add in the ground turkey mixing until just combined with the spices.  Don’t over-mix as it can toughen the meat.  Set this aside while you start sautéing the onions with avocado oil in a pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, add in the garlic and sauté for another minute.  Add meat, spreading it out in clumps until it is brown on one side and then flip over to the other side.  Break up with a metal spatula into crumbles and remove from heat when it is cooked though.
5. Assemble Tostados:
   • spread avocado cream on a crispy tortilla
   • layer with ground turkey
   • top with pineapple salsa
   • add shredded lettuce & fresh cilantro
   • add (optional) cojita or feta crumbles
   • serve with lime wedges

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Notes

Filling and salsa will keep up to 3 days in the fridge. Avocado Cream is best used day of serving.

If using the Vegan Chorizo feel free to saute onion and garlic, add the vegan chorizo to the pan and skip the salt and spices.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Tostada
• Calories: 258
• Sugar: 7.5 g
• Sodium: 292.1 mg
• Fat: 11.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 27.9 g
• Fiber: 5.1 g
• Protein: 15.7 g
• Cholesterol: 41.4 mg