Sweet Smoky BBQ Chicken Tostadas (Printable)

Crispy tostadas with tender sweet smoky BBQ chicken, fresh toppings, and creamy sauce for a Tex-Mex feast.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie or grilled)
02 - 1 cup smoky BBQ sauce
03 - 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika

→ Tostadas

05 - 8 corn tostada shells

→ Toppings

06 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
07 - 1 cup chopped tomatoes
08 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
10 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 - 1/3 cup sour cream

→ Optional Garnishes

13 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
14 - Lime wedges

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange tostada shells on a baking sheet and warm for 5 minutes until crisp and lightly toasted.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, honey or brown sugar, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is heated through and evenly coated, about 5 minutes.
03 - Arrange the warmed tostada shells on serving plates. Evenly divide the BBQ chicken mixture over each shell.
04 - Layer shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced red onion, shredded cheese, avocado slices, and fresh cilantro over the chicken-topped shells.
05 - Drizzle sour cream over each tostada. Garnish with sliced jalapeño and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The BBQ chicken comes together in one pan in five minutes flat, which is faster than arguing about what to order for takeout.
  • Everyone assembles their own tostadas at the table, so picky eaters and adventure seekers both leave happy.
  • That sweet and smoky flavor combination on a crunchy shell is genuinely hard to stop eating after just one.
02 -
  • Do not skip warming the shells because cold tostadas taste flat and stale by comparison.
  • Keep the chicken and toppings separate until the exact moment you plan to eat or the shells will go soggy faster than you expect.
  • Check your BBQ sauce label if you have allergies because many contain soy or mustard derivatives that are easy to overlook.
03 -
  • Warm the BBQ chicken over low heat if it starts to bubble too aggressively because scorched sauce tastes bitter and ruins the whole batch.
  • Double the chicken portion and freeze half so you are always one step away from an easy dinner.

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