In this recipe, tostada shells are topped with shredded Mexican chicken, black beans, avocado, tomato, and shredded cheese. Since several healthy zero point foods are used, each flavorful tostada is just 6 Green, 4 Blue, and 4 Purple Points! (The points are in the tostada shell, avocado, and the cheese.) These are so good! I’m excited for you to try them!
Cook and shred the chicken using an Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove-top.
You will start this recipe by making some shredded chicken. There are a few ways you can go about doing this:
- On the stove-top in a stockpot.
Cooking chicken in boiling water will make it tender enough that you can easily shred the chicken. Cooking time will be about 12 minutes once the water is boiling. - In an Instant Pot.
Because it is necessary to use at least one cup of water (or other liquid) to properly use a pressure cooker, if you are using an Instant Pot, you will be cooking the chicken in water and then adding the other salsa mixture ingredients into the shredded chicken after it is cooked. Depending on the size of your pressure cooker, you may want to cook the chicken for 10 to 12 minutes. In the recipe, I recommend 12 minutes cooking time just to be safe, and then quick releasing the pressure. - In a slow cooker.
When I cooked the chicken in my slow cooker, I decided to cook the chicken in the salsa mixture, which meant I could leave out the step of cooking the chicken in water. If using the slow cooker, it will take about 3-4 hours on HIGH or 5-6 hours on LOW to get the chicken tender enough to shred it easily.
Not eating all of the tostadas at once?
This recipe makes eight tostadas. If you don’t use all eight of the tostadas the first time you make these, there are a couple of things you can do with the leftovers. The easiest way to handle leftovers with a recipe like this one that uses full cans, in my opinion, is to make the recipe as described and refrigerate the chicken/bean mixture with the chopped avocado mixed in. Then, when you are ready to eat another tostada later, you can simply reheat 1/2 cup of the mixture and follow the rest of the steps.
Another option, and this is a new option on Meal Planning Mommies, is to change the number of servings in the recipe tool here, and the amount of each ingredient will change to reflect the number of servings you are trying to make.
Have leftover tostada shells?
Most tostada shell packages I have seen have 12 or more tostada shells in them. If you happen to have some extra tostada shells after making this recipe, I have two more easy (and delicious) recipes I love to use mine for.
The Beef Tostadas, pictured above, are 8 WW FreeStyle SP each. You can make them lower in points by using 99% lean ground turkey in place of the ground beef and leaving out, or using less of, the cheese and/or sour cream.
The Breakfast Tostadas, pictured above, are just 5 WW FreeStyle Smart Points each! These Breakfast Tostadas are such a delicious way to start a day!!
Save this recipe for later, or make it right away!
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Okay, let’s get to the recipe…
Here is what you need:
3/4 cup salsa
1 (4.5 ounce) can mild chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 tostada shells
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (optional)
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
Here is what you do:
IF USING A SLOW COOKER:
In a slow cooker, mix salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Place chicken in the slow cooker and cover with some of the salsa mixture. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or on LOW for 5-6 hours.
Once chicken is fully cooked, transfer chicken to a bowl where you can shred the chicken, using two forks. Carefully put shredded chicken back in the slow cooker, and mix in with the salsa mixture.
Add black beans and 1/4 cup shredded cheese to the slow cooker and mix well.
OR, IF USING AN INSTANT POT:
Put 1 cup water and chicken in an Instant Pot. Cook chicken in Instant Pot for 12 minutes on HIGH pressure and quick release once fully cooked. Mix the salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black beans, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in with the chicken.
OR, IF USING A STOCKPOT:
Place chicken breasts into a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover. Place over medium heat, bring to a boil, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken breasts to a bowl, allow to cool, and shred the chicken with 2 forks. Mix the salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black beans, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in with the chicken.
THEN…
Scoop 1/2 cup of the chicken/bean mixture on each tostada shell. Top with 1 tablespoon cheese, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, and approximately 3 tablespoons diced avocado.
Makes 8 servings.
One serving is 1 chicken tostada.
One tostada is 6 Green, 4 Blue, and 4 Purple points.
Chicken Tostadas
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salsa
- 1 (4.5 ounce) can mild chopped green chiles
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 8 tostada shells
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 avocado, seeded and chopped
Instructions
IF USING A SLOW COOKER
- In a slow cooker, mix salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Place chicken in the slow cooker and cover with some of the salsa mixture. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or on LOW for 5-6 hours.
- Once chicken is fully cooked, transfer chicken to a bowl where you can shred the chicken, using two forks. Carefully put shredded chicken back in the slow cooker, and mix in with the salsa mixture.
- Add black beans and 1/4 cup shredded cheese to the slow cooker and mix well.
- Scoop 1/2 cup of the chicken/bean mixture on each tostada shell. Top with 1 tablespoon cheese, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, and approximately 3 tablespoons diced avocado.
IF USING AN INSTANT POT
- Put 1 cup water and chicken in an Instant Pot. Cook chicken in Instant Pot for 12 minutes on HIGH pressure and quick release once fully cooked. Mix the salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black beans, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in with the chicken.
- Mix the salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, cayenne pepper, black beans, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in with the chicken.
- Scoop 1/2 cup of the chicken/bean mixture on each tostada shell. Top with 1 tablespoon cheese, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, and approximately 3 tablespoons diced avocado.
IF USING THE STOVE-TOP
- Place chicken breasts into a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover. Place over medium heat, bring to a boil, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken breasts to a bowl, allow to cool, and shred the chicken with 2 forks.
- Mix the salsa, green chiles, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, cayenne pepper, black beans, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in with the chicken.
- Scoop 1/2 cup of the chicken/bean mixture on each tostada shell. Top with 1 tablespoon cheese, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, and approximately 3 tablespoons diced avocado.
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Donna says
Hi. My name is Donna and I live in Tennessee. I was wondering how to do the chicken tostados in the InstantPot. It shows two recipes for the stove top and none for the IP. I have really enjoyed your recipes.
Alisha Hughes says
Hi Donna, Sorry about that. I copied and pasted the wrong part of the recipe. I have updated the recipe tool so it tells the instructions for the Instant Pot. Thanks for understanding.
Donna says
Thank you, Alisha
Becky says
These were delicious!! We used black refined beans instead of black beans because we bought them on accident. But worked out really well to hold the ingredients onto the tostada. We will definitely make these again!! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Alisha Hughes says
Awesome, Becky! Sounds like that ended up working out great. So glad you liked it! 🙂