These tostada stacks combine some traditional Mexican flavors, getting an added pop from the seasoned tortillas, Shredded Mexican Chicken and cilantro lime sauce! If you want to pair these tostadas with a delicious cocktail this grapefruit margarita goes perfectly.
I've always been a big fan of Mexican food. Something about crisp tortillas, seasoned beans and avocados just makes me very happy!! So that means I'm always looking for new ways to put Mexican flavors together to make something delicious! These Chicken & White Bean Tostada Stacks definitely fit the definition of delicious!
Ingredient Notes
The full ingredients list + quantities can be found in the recipe card.
This recipe uses many ingredients traditionally found in Mexican recipes.
- Fresh lime juice and lime zest: You'll need one lime. Be sure to zest the lime before you juice it.
- Fresh cilantro: You definitely want fresh cilantro for this sauce.
- Jalapeno: You only need a small amount of jalapeno so if you don't use it for other things you can leave it out. It will change the taste of the sauce slightly.
- Corn tortillas: Smaller tortillas work best in this recipe, so 6-inch or taco size tortillas
- White beans: You can use either Great Northern white beans (my first choice) or cannellini beans.
- Pico de gallo or salsa: You can make your own or use a pre-made version. I typically use Whole Foods pico de gallo as I almost always have it in my refrigerator.
Making Chicken Tostada Stacks
This recipe really has four separate parts, none of which are terribly complicated. And several can be made ahead of time.
Make the beans
I absolutely love seasoned black beans, but after a couple of rounds of recipe testing, I decided to create a version with white beans for this recipe.
Make the chicken
This shredded chicken is a staple in my weekly meal prep routine. It also goes into this Chicken Burrito Bowl. If you don't want to make this in advance, you can buy a rotisserie chicken, shred it and add the spices.
Make the cilantro-lime sauce
This sauce is fantastic on just about any Mexican dish. Just mix the yogurt, cilantro, lime zest and jalapeno with a pinch of sugar and a dash of salt.
Cook the tortillas
The tortillas get seasoned with brown sugar and cumin before you bake them for an extra kick. I like using two tortillas in the stack, as it gives this dish a bit of extra crunch. If you prefer you can cut it down to one (so you'll need a total of four) and just pile all of the ingredients up on top of each other. I use an olive oil sprayer to be sure the tortillas get evenly coated. If you don't have one, you can use a commercial olive oil spray or you can brush the tortillas with oil.
Like many Mexican dishes, these tostadas are really a meal all on their own. You could add this Mexican Street Corn Dip or this Grill Corn and Black Bean Salsa to start.
This recipe works for everything from a quick weeknight dinner to a fun party dish to a packable lunch! Now that's versatility!
Meal prep tip: You can make the chicken, cilantro-lime sauce and beans ahead of time. Store the chicken and beans separately in the refrigerator. Then reheat them before assembling the tostada stacks.
Recommended Tools
Parchment Paper – This is a must-have for anyone who roasts or bakes. You'll save yourself a lot of clean-up time and help your baking sheets to last longer.
OXO Good Grips Potato Masher – I like this masher with the open wire curves as it works for mashing everything from potatoes to beans to cauliflower.
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Chicken & White Bean Tostada Stacks
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 6 oz cooked chicken , shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ tablespoon dried cilantro
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground chipole pepper
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- pinch of salt
For the cilantro lime sauce:
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
- ¼ teaspoon minced jalapeno
- ¼ teaspoon lime zest
- pinch of sugar
- pinch of salt
For the tortillas:
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- olive oil spray
For the beans:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15 oz can Great Northern White Beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoon chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
For topping:
- ¼ cup pico de gallo or salsa
- 1 avocado, sliced or diced
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Add the shredded chicken, lime juice and the spices to a mixing bowl, and mix until well combined.
- Make the sauce. Mix all of the listed ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Bake the tortillas. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lay tortillas out on the baking sheets in a single layer, without any edges overlapping. Spray lightly with olive oil. Mix the brown sugar and cumin in a small bowl and sprinkle over tortillas. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until edges are turning dark brown.
- Cook the beans. While the tortillas are baking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the beans and cook for 3 minutes. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the beans. Add the cumin, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Keep warm.
- Assemble the stacks. Place one tortilla on a tray or serving dish. Top with beans. Add another tortilla and top with chicken, avocado, pico and cilantro lime sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
This post was originally published in April 2017. It was updated in May 2021 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.
Jennifer A Stewart
Oh I love the idea of refried white beans!! YUMMY and I love tostada stacks. What fun recipe and perfect for Cinco de Mayo!
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours
Great tip about using an olive oil sprayer! We find that to be the best way to "prep" a tortilla too!
Michelle | The Last Food Blog
These look amazing! Love the seasoned tortillas and the healthy sub for refried beans, Yum!!!
Aimee
Ah, Mexican-inspired food gets me every time! I too am always altering the recipes I make on the norm for my site and love when something turns out so well as this post did for you.
Karly
Gimme alllll the tostadas! Love love love that crunchy shell, and the chicken looks like pure heaven. I must try these soon!