Taco Tuesday: Chicken & Black Bean Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

It’s the return of Taco Tuesday! I’ve had tacos of some sort on the menu every week, but for one reason or another I haven’t gotten around to making them for awhile now…but that all stops now!! I actually had a different taco recipe on the menu for this week, but I’ve been eyeballing these tostadas for awhile now, and they just sounded perfect to me last night when it was time to make dinner. And man-oh-man were they ever perfect!!

Not only is there a pile of black beans, shredded chicken, and cheese – but the avocado salsa?!?!?! I seriously could have just eaten a bowl of that for dinner. But that wouldn’t be a very balanced dinner, would it?? And as you see on my plate, I had a little “avocado salsa salad” to go with my tostadas.

Fortunately they taste every bit as good as they look, and I ate every last bite of what was on my plate. And then brought the leftovers (sans tostada shell) to work for lunch today. I’ll have to make this for some of my friends soon…Facebook was abuzz with requests last night! And, of course, this is a quick meal perfect for any weeknight. Less than 30 minutes start-to-finish and so delicious!!

Chicken & Black Bean Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

As seen on A Taste of Home Cooking, via Cooking Light, August 2012

Ingredients

• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 fajita-size tortillas
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup queso fresco, shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Preparation

1. Combine the tomato, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt & pepper together in a small bowl. Stir to combine and then refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with foil.
3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place each tortilla, one at a time, in the skillet for 30-45 seconds, or until puffy and lightly browned. 
4. Transfer the tortillas to a baking sheet and top with black beans, chicken, and cheese.  
5. Bake for 5 minutes, or until chicken and beans are heated through.
6. Top each tostada with shredded lettuce and avocado salsa and serve immediately.