The word ‘tostada’ means toasted in Spanish and surely had a prehispanic origin.  It is not hard to imagine an ancient inhabitant of Mexico forgetting the tortillas on the comal – a flat griddle made from metal or clay – until these became firm and crunchy. I have done it many times, but a tortilla is never wasted as we say in Mexico, so these become tostadas or chilaquiles.

In Latinamerica, tostada means something different in most countries, but in Mexico, it is always the same: a crunchy tortilla base packed with refried beans, your protein of choice, salad on top, cheese, avocado, and cream on top.  The order of the ingredients, ingredients, and combinations will vary from region to region making eating tostadas a culinary adventure.

When I think tostadas there are two in particular that come to my mind. The simplest of them, a tostada dipped in ‘Mexican Cream’ and sprinkled with salt on top.  When I came to the markets with my mother as a child I would be offered by the owner of the cheese stand holder. And, the traditional Chicken tostada.  I don’t think there is a more traditional tostada than the chicken tostada, at least not in Mexico City.  Without a doubt, it is a crowd-pleaser because of its freshness, many combinations, and simplicity to prepare.

So here is the recipe for chicken tostadas, but feel free to change and combine ingredients as you please.  It is very easy to make this dish into a vegetarian or even vegan option by removing or substituting chicken and dairy products.