Baked Tostada Shells:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Divide 12 corn tortillas between two rimmed baking sheets and lightly brush both sides with vegetable oil; sprinkle with kosher salt.  You can also spray with cooking but brushing with oil will produce crispier tostada shells.
• Bake for 5 minutes then flip tortillas over, switch position of baking sheets in the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.

PROTEIN OPTIONS

• See post for TONS of Mexican protein options including chicken, beef and pork (& 10 Minute Mexican Chicken!)
• If using any other protein (other than above ground beef recipe in which beans are added directly to the beef), heat 2 16 oz. can refried beans in a large skillet with 1/3 cup salsa until warmed through, stirring until smooth. 

CHICKEN TOSTADA RECIPE

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pound chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tsp EACH ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp EACH cocoa powder, sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 4 oz. can mild chopped green chiles 
• splash of lime juice
• 2 16 oz. cans refried beans
• 1/3 cup salsa

• Whisk together all of the seasonings; set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the seasonings (through cayenne) and cook for 30 seconds.  Add tomato paste and cook one minute.  Stir in broth, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon and green chiles. 
• Bring to a simmer, add chicken, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook until chicken is tender enough to shred 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through. Keep an eye on it towards the end, adding additional chicken broth if it evaporates before the chicken is done.   
• Shred chicken into bite size pieces and toss in remaining sauce/juices in the pan, and a splash of lime juice.  Add additional chicken broth if desired for saucier chicken.

• Add beans and salsa to medium skillet and heat over medium heat until warmed through, stirring until smooth. 
• To serve tostadas, spread a generous amount of beans over tostadas shells, sprinkle with cheese, top with chicken followed by lettuce, tomatoes, avocado crema/sour cream etc.

Tostada Tips & Tricks

• Use correct tortillas. Look for fresh, 100 percent corn tortillas.  Some corn tortillas also include flour but these won’t get crispy.  Also, look for the thinnest brand your grocery store sells – this will also ensure they get super crispy.
• Prep toppings first.  Prep all of your toppings before you begin making the tostada shells or protein so you can pile everything on warm, fresh tostada shells.  You don’t want to have to pause to do your chopping. 
• Use correct oil.  Our goal of deep frying the tostada shells is to create a deeply golden, crunchy exterior.  To do this, you need an oil with a high smoking point (around 450°F/232°C) and neutral flavor.  If you select an oil with a low smoking point, not only will you have an incredible amount of smoke, but the oil will break down creating an unpleasant odor and unappetizing taste. Oils suitable for frying include: vegetable oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil and sunflower oil.
• Use hot enough oil.  If the tortilla doesn’t bubble immediately once added to the oil, the oil is not hot enough. Also, if the tortillas aren’t stiff and crispy after removing from the oil, then the oil isn’t hot enough. Remove the tortilla and increase the heat and try again. 
• Wear oven mitts.  You need to wear oven mitts to protect your hands and arms from splattering hot oil that the bubbles in the tortillas cause, especially because you will be in close proximity using the spatula to hold the tortilla down.
• Use paper towels. Transfer fried tostada shells to a paper towel lined surface to drain. You don’t want them sitting in excess oil or they won’t be as crispy.
• Don’t stack.  Don’t stack the tostada shells after frying or if they are at all warm or they will steam and you will lose that coveted crispiness. Line the tostadas in a single layer with a little breathing room in between each one.
• Don’t pre-assemble.  Only assemble the tostadas once you are ready to serve for maximum crunchiness.  
• Serve Chipotle style:  Create a toppings bar like they do at Chipotle and let everyone top their own tostadas for zero lag time.
• Prep ahead.  Don’t worry about not being able to pre-assemble the tostadas; you can still prep ahead by making the tostada shells, protein and toppings then just reheat the protein when ready to serve.
• Small bites.  Eating tostadas can be a delightfully messy ordeal but I find using small bites is the best way to keep everything intact.

Make Ahead

• Make tostadas. The tostadas can be made up to 5 days ahead of time, cooled, then stored in an airtight container/freezer bag at room temperature.    
• Make protein.  Make the ground beef, chicken or other desired protein and refrigerate for up to three days.  Gently warm in a skillet with a splash of water when ready to serve.  
• Make beans. I don’t think you making the beans ahead of time saves much time because they need to be reheated anyway.  Still, you can combine the beans and salsa then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Toppings. The toppings can be chopped and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator or small covered serving bowls.  The guacamole and avocado crema (if using) will keep for up to a day without changing color very much – just make sure to press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the guac/crema to prevent oxidation. 

Storage 

• Tostadas:  Store cooled tostadas in an airtight container/freezer bag at room temperature to keep them crunchy. I know they stay crunchy for at least 7 days but we've never had any leftover after that to test!  
• Chicken, Beef or Pork:  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Beans: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
• Toppings:  Store in separate airtight containers or plastic bags for up to 3 days.

How to Reheat Tostada Shells

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread tostada shells out in an even layer on 1-2 baking sheets.
• Heat for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn.

HOW TO FREEZE TOSTADA Meat

1. Prepare tostada meat according to directions.
2. Cool to room temperature.
3. Add filling to a freezer size plastic bag.
4. Press bag flat and squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn.
5. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.

HOW TO REHEAT

1. When ready to use, defrost tostadas meat in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Transfer filling to a skillet and warm over medium heat. 
3. If the filling seems dry, stir in some water or salsa.