Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tostadas

When it comes to cooking, eating, and sharing what I’m cooking and eating, I am officially in the biggest slump I’ve been in since starting this blog. For whatever reason, my motivation to meal plan, make dinner, take photos of dinner, upload the photos, and share the recipes here has been sorely lacking. It all started a month or so ago, when I was really sick. At that time I didn’t step foot in the kitchen for nearly a week, and since then it’s been decidedly hard for me to get my mojo back.

That’s not to say we haven’t eaten some delicious meals, because we definitely have. Take these tostadas for instance, which we all loved and which I can’t wait to make again. The chicken itself is rubbed with a spice blend that hits just the right balance of sweet (brown sugar) and heat (cayenne pepper). I topped these with cilantro ranch dressing, roasted corn and black bean salsa, and shredded cheddar cheese, and I loved that combination of toppings. The tangy dressing worked perfectly with the spicy-sweet chicken, and the salsa added the perfect bit of smoky heat. I strongly recommend making your own tostadas (instructions are below), because they taste so much better than store-bought!

You’ll have some of the spice mixture left over, but you’ll want to make these a lot, so it’ll definitely get used.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tostadas
adapted from What’s Cookin’, Chicago?

2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Tostadas (store bought or homemade*)
Cilantro ranch dressing
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the spices in a small bowl.

2. Generously rub the spice mixture on the chicken, making sure to thoroughly coat.

3. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until juices run clear and the chicken is completely cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken.

4. To assemble the tostadas, top each with chicken, shredded cheese, salsa, and a drizzle of cilantro ranch dressing.

*To make homemade tostadas, briefly fry corn tortillas in oil until crisp and lightly browned. Drain on a paper towel and cool slightly before topping.