Sheet Pan Loaded Chicken Tostadas
Welcome to part 3 of my BUdget Friendly Family Meal Series, these Sheet Pan Loaded Chicken Tostadas are one your’e going to want to add to your dinner rotation!
This Meal comes in at $21 with a few options to get it even cheaper! Plus, there are tons of leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day, taking this down to around $3/serving!
Creator: Leslie Stokes
Budeget Friendly Family Meal Series
This series is all about feeding your family on a budget!
I think we can all agree that groceries these days are breaking the budget! After starting a conversation with my online community about the rising cost of food, I knew this series was something I had to do!
Each week I will be sharing a family style meal that fits the budget, along with a “healthy Mom” option because if your family is anything like mine, I’m the only one who likes to eat healthy!
I hope you follow along with this series and please reach out if you have any questions!
Ingredients
Keeping things simple BUT fresh, like always! You can load these with whatever you want, but I’m telling you right now, your’e gonna want to put this salsa on everything!
- 3 chicken breast:Â You can also, just buy rotisserie chicken, up to you
- salsa verde
- minced garlic
- cumin
- corn:Â I did frozen white, but it is a little more expenive, canned works too!
- red bell pepper
- jalapeno
- lime
- cilantro
- street taco size corn tortillas
- avocado
- cabbage/coleslaw mix
- radishes (optional)Â
- Cotija Cheese:Â this is a mexican style cheese, it is the best cheese for tacos, but again. totally optionalÂ
- refried beans for the picky eaters
- elote seasoning: optional and not included in the budget. I’ve provided a homemade recipe below
The Budget
This meal comes in at $21 with a few options to get it even cheaper! But keep in mind- it makes a ton of leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day and brings the cost per meal to around $3/serving
I did most of the shopping for this meal at walmart with the exclusion of the chicken, I buy that in bulk at Sams Club because it’s way cheaper!
Prices may vary depending on where you shop and you will have ingredients leftover to make something else at another time!
chicken breast- $6
salsa verde- $2.54
corn- $1.12
red bell pepper- $1.38
jalapeno $0.31
lime- $0.33
cilantro- $0.88
avocado- $0.84 x 2
coleslaw mix- $1.66
cotija cheese- $3.34
total: $21.52
total without cotija cheese- $18.18
Options to get this cheaper:
- use a cheese you already have
- skip the avocado
- skip the radishes
Let's Make It!
I love cooking my chicken ahead of time in the instant pot, but you can always stop for a rotisserie chicken, too!
Cook the chicken in the instant pot or crockpot with 1/2 jar of the salsa verde, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp minced garlic.
Frozen in the instant pot- 25 minutes
Fresh in the instant pot- 15 minutes
Crockpot- high for 4-6 hours
***Save time by just using rotisserie chicken- just shred the meat, add in the sauce + seasonings into a small pan and cook for 10-15 minutes.
In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients for the salsa + 1 tsp of the elote seasoning, set aside.
***Save time by making this ahead of time. This also makes a ton extra for leftovers the next day!
- Preheat the oven to 425°
- On a large baking tray, lay out 12-15 corn tortillas, brush each side with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake in the oven on the top rack for 10-12 minutes, flipping once.
- While the tortillas are cooking smash the avoacdo and add a pinch of salt and some lime juice, set aside.
- Slice the radishes + jalapenos
- Once the torillas are browned and crispy, add smashed avocado, chicken, shredded cabbage, corn salsa- top with radishes, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, cotija cheese + a dash of elote seasoning.
If you fam isn’t into the “fancy” stuff aka they are picky eaters, my kidos loved these with refried beans, chicken and cheese!
This meal had a ton of chicken, salsa and cabbage leftover, so I made wraps with it the next day buy adding mayo, elote seasoning, chicken, cabbage and salsa- soooooo good!
Homemade Elote Seasoning
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp dried cilantro
- 1 tbsp chili powder
Mix everything together in small bowl or seasoning jar, store in the pantry.
Sheet Pan Loaded Chicken Tostadas
Equipment
- large sheet pan
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast
- 1 16oz jar of salsa verde
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp minced garlic
For the Salsa:
- 1½ cups corn white prefered
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ red bell pepper
- ½ chopped jalapeno
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ½ of a lime, juiced
- 1 tsp olive oil
Toppings + Tortillas:
- street taco size corn tortillas
- cooking spray/olive oil
- 2 avocados
- radishes
- coleslaw mix or cabbage
- jalapeno slices
- cotija cheese or cheese of choice
Homemade Elote Seasoning (optional or get it from Trader Joes- not included in the budget):
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp dried cilantro
- 1 tbsp chili powder
Let's Make It
- Cook the chicken in the instant pot or crockpot with 1/2 jar of the salsa verde, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp minced garlic.Frozen in the instant pot- 25 minutesFresh in the instant pot- 15 minutesCrockpot- high for 4-6 hours***Save time by just using rotisserie chicken- just shred the meat, add in the sauce + seasonings into a small pan and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients for the salsa + 1 tsp of the elote seasoning, set aside.***Save time by making this ahead of time. This also makes a ton extra for leftovers the next day!
- Preheat the oven to 425°
- On a large baking tray, lay out 12-15 corn tortillas, brush each side with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake in the oven on the top rack for 10-12 minutes, flipping once.
- While the tortillas are cooking smash the avoacdo and add a pinch of salt and some lime juice, set aside.
- Slice the radishes + jalapenos
- Once the torillas are browned and crispy, add smashed avocado, chicken, shredded cabbage, corn salsa- top with radishes, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, cotija cheese + a dash of elote seasoning.
- If you fam isn't into the "fancy" stuff aka they are picky eaters, my kidos loved these with refried beans, chicken and cheese!
- This meal had a ton of chicken, salsa and cabbage leftover, so I made wraps with it the next day buy adding mayo, elote seasoning, chicken, cabbage and salsa- soooooo good!
