Chicken Pineapple Salsa Tostadas (Print Version)

Crispy tostadas layered with seasoned chicken, pineapple salsa, and lime crema for a fresh, flavorful meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Pineapple Salsa

09 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
10 - ½ small red onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
12 - ½ red bell pepper, diced
13 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - Juice of 1 lime
15 - Pinch of salt

→ Lime Crema

16 - ½ cup sour cream
17 - Zest of 1 lime
18 - Juice of ½ lime
19 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

20 - 8 small corn tostada shells
21 - 1 avocado, sliced
22 - Extra cilantro leaves for garnish
23 - Lime wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Place seasoned chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes until cooked through. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then shred using two forks.
04 - While chicken cooks, combine pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
05 - Whisk together sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, and salt until smooth and well combined.
06 - Warm tostada shells in the oven for 3–4 minutes if desired.
07 - Top each tostada with shredded chicken, spoonfuls of pineapple salsa, a drizzle of lime crema, and avocado slices. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It actually tastes like summer even when you're eating it indoors, with that bright pineapple and cilantro hitting all at once.
  • Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, so you can have dinner on the table without feeling like you spent your whole evening cooking.
  • The contrast between crispy tostadas, tender chicken, and cool lime crema makes every bite feel intentional and satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken—those 5 minutes make the difference between meat that shreds beautifully and meat that falls apart into sad shreds.
  • Make the salsa first so the lime juice has time to work on the onion and the flavors meld, which means it actually tastes intentional rather than like a hasty pile of ingredients.
  • Assemble the tostadas just before serving or they'll get soggy, which sounds obvious until you're hungry and wondering why your dinner fell apart on your plate.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store if you're short on time—it tastes good and cuts your prep down to almost nothing, which means you get to the eating part faster.
  • Make the lime crema a day ahead and keep it in the fridge so one less thing is happening when you actually want to eat dinner.
  • If you like extra heat, keep the jalapeño seeds in the salsa or add a thin slice of fresno chili instead for a different kind of spice that's less grassy and more fruity.
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