Description
BBQ Chicken Tostadas with Creamy Slaw are a perfect weeknight dinner featuring tender shredded barbecue chicken, smoky mashed baked beans, and a zesty creamy slaw served on crispy baked corn tortillas. This flavorful, satisfying recipe is easy to prepare and combines savory, sweet, and tangy elements for a deliciously balanced meal.
Ingredients
Scale
BBQ Chicken Sauce and Chicken
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 3 Tbsp light brown sugar
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 3 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 3 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
Tortillas
- 4 corn tortillas (6-inch)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Salt, to taste
Creamy Slaw
- 2 oz neufchatel cheese
- 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp chopped jalapeño
- 1 ½ tsp chopped fresh garlic
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Mash Beans
- 1 can navy beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
- Reserved ⅓ cup BBQ sauce
- 1–2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the tortillas.
- Make BBQ Sauce and Cook Chicken: In a bowl, combine ketchup, light brown sugar, minced onion, 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, yellow mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Reserve ⅓ cup of this sauce for the beans. Add the remaining sauce and the chicken pieces to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken, shred it finely, then stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce and keep warm.
- Prepare Tortillas: Lightly coat the corn tortillas with nonstick cooking spray and season with salt. Arrange them on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and lightly browned.
- Make Creamy Slaw Dressing: In a mini food processor, purée neufchatel cheese, 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, chopped jalapeño, and fresh garlic until smooth.
- Toss Slaw: In a bowl, combine shredded red cabbage and chopped fresh parsley. Toss with the creamy neufchatel mixture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Chill until ready to serve.
- Prepare Mashed Beans: In a saucepan, heat the rinsed navy beans with the reserved ⅓ cup BBQ sauce and 1 to 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until warmed through and thickened. Remove from heat and lightly mash the beans to desired consistency.
- Assemble Tostadas: Spread the warm mashed bean mixture evenly over the baked tortillas. Top with shredded BBQ chicken and finish with a generous spoonful of creamy slaw. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of maple syrup in the beans according to your preferred level of sweetness.
- If you prefer spicier slaw, add more jalapeño or keep the seeds when chopping.
- Neufchatel cheese can be substituted with cream cheese if unavailable.
- To save time, cook chicken in advance and reheat with barbecue sauce before assembling.
- Use fresh corn tortillas for best texture and flavor when baking.
