This tostada salad features a baked whole wheat tortilla bowl stuffed with crisp, fresh veggies, and savory ground chicken. Crazy easy and so healthy!
This classic tostada salad rivals your favorite taqueria. With our simple canning jar hack, you can create a beautiful, restaurant-worthy tostada bowl in the oven. That’s right – there’s no need to fuss around with the hassle and extra calories for crispy, deep-fried bowls.
How to Make a Tostada Shell – Without Frying It!
This canning jar hack is a game changer with a capitol “G”. Here’s how to do it:
- Preheat the Oven: Turn the oven to 350°F. Flip four canning jars upside down on a baking sheet.
- Microwave the Tortillas: Pop the 4 tortillas in the microwave for 8-10 seconds (you just want them to get warm and flexible).
- Drape the Tortillas: Place the warm tortillas over the top of the jars, pinching the edges to create a bowl shape.
- Bake the Tostada Bowls: Bake the bowls until hard and golden brown. Pull the baking sheet out of the oven and let the bowls set at room temperature. BOOM – you have guilt-free tostada shells!
Assembling this Tostada Salad
Now that you’ve got your dreamy whole wheat tostada bowls, here’s how to dress them up with a proper salad.
- Make the Tostada Bowls: Bake the tortillas into tostada bowls.
- Cook the Ground Chicken: Next, place the ground chicken in a skillet preheated with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown.
- Dice the Veggies: Slice the avocado, onion, and tomato into small pieces.
- Assemble the Tostada Salads: Fill the crispy tortilla bowls with meat, cheese, and chopped romaine lettuce. a sprinkle Sprinkle on the tomatoes, onion, and avocado. Top with sour cream and enjoy!
Meatless Monday: Swap the ground chicken out for 2 cans of black beans or pinto beans seasoned with lime juice, a teaspoon cumin, a teaspoon chili powder, salt, and pepper. Â
Tips & Tricks for the Tastiest Chicken Tostada Salad
A couple of tips and tricks will help you get the most out of this chicken tostada salad.
- Let the tortillas cool down on the jars. When you take the tostada bowls out of the oven, keep them on the jars so they can further develop their shape.
- Drain the ground chicken of excess grease. To prevent your tostada bowls from getting soggy, drain the ground chicken of any excess grease before popping it into the tortilla.
- Assemble the salad right before you plan to serve it. For the freshest taste and texture, only assemble the salads right before you plan to serve them.
How to Store Leftovers & Meal Prep Guidance
From leftovers to easy work lunches, here’s all you need to know about storing your tostada salads.
- Leftovers: If you have leftover assembled salads, stick them in their own individual storage bag. They will keep for only 1 day before they start to get soggy.
- Meal-Prep: Prepare the tacos shells and store them in a plastic storage bag on the counter. Next, whip up the ground chicken mixture and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Optionally, dice the veggies (minus the avocado, as it will brown) and store them in a container. Assemble the salads on-demand!
FAQ
What kind of dressing should you use?
We find sour cream works just fine as a dressing all on its own. If you still want to toss the salad in something, a creamy cilantro dressing would work great.
Can you use a different meat besides ground chicken?
Yes! Grilled chicken breast slices into bite-size pieces, carne asada, or shredded pork are all great protein alternatives.
What other toppings can you add to a tostada salad?
You can get really creative with the toppings and add-ins. Cilantro lime rice, black olives, pico de gallo salsa, corn, and fresh cilantro leaves are all welcome additions.
More Filling Dinner Salads to Try
- Easy Cobb Salad with Tuna – Tuna, egg, and cheese salad
- Mexican Tuna Salad Recipe – Zesty tuna salad
- Sesame Chicken Salad – Teriyaki chicken salad
- 15-Minute Broccoli Cauliflower Salad – Broccoli, cauliflower, and bacon salad
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Microwave the tortillas for 8 seconds, just so they're soft enough to be malleable. Invert 4 large canning jars on a baking sheet and place a warmed tortilla on top of each one (this will create the "bowl" shape).
- Fold the sides of the tortillas to form the shape of a bowl around the canning jar. Bake the bowls until hard and golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). Pull the baking sheet out of the oven and allow the tortillas to cool at room temperature on the jars.
- Preheat a skillet with olive oil. Place the ground chicken in the skillet and season it with salt and pepper, mixing it occasionally to break up the larger pieces. Cook until the meat turns golden brown.
- Dice the avocado, onion, and tomato. Set them aside.
- Fill up the tortilla bowls with the ground meat, cheese, and lettuce. Top the salads with the tomatoes, onion, and avocado.
- Serve the salads with dollops of sour cream on top for dressing. Enjoy!
this looks so yummy, im really craving Mexican food, I need to try this. I have raw tortillas from Costco, can I use those to make the bowls?