Cinco de Mayo has all the elements of the quintessential college party: it falls just after exams, it gets people together and it pairs great food with an excuse to drink.
With those factors at play, it’s no wonder that across America, Cinco de Mayo is often as widely associated with campus life as it is the day that Mexican soldiers conquered the French in the Battle of Puebla (which would make my tenth-grade history teacher cringe; sorry, Mr. F!). To many, it’s become the I’m-in-College-and-Looking-for-a-Reason-to-Party Holiday, right up there with Labor Day (Diddy’s not the only one rocking white-attire-only parties), St. Patrick’s Day and, arguably, Halloween.
Whatever your reason for celebrating, these avocado chicken tostadas will provide a satisfying crunch and robust flavor for hardly any effort — or cash. Now you have no excuse not to throw a fiesta.
Check back later tonight for the perfect complement to this meal: Watermelon Margaritas! (Watermeloritas?)
PS — If you’re looking for more recipes, why don’t you try these southwestern seafood enchiladas, black beans with cilantro lime rice, Mexican Seven-Layer Dip, baked apple empanadas or fruit salsa with cinnamon chips. Your stomach will thank you.
Chicken & Corn Salsa Tostadas Recipe
Kitchen gadgets needed: cutting board, knife, frying pan, small bowl, fork, spatula, tablespoon, stovetop
Ingredients (serves 4-5):
- 1 jar of your favorite salsa (I chose Newman’s Own Tequila Lime Salsa)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 package of small corn tortillas (about 8 is fine)
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can corn
- Couple leaves of shredded lettuce (tip: grab from the salad bar in the cafeteria!)
- 1 avocado, cubed
- ½ cup queso fresco or Mexican shredded cheese
- A sprinkle of chili powder to top the dish (optional)
- 1 lime to add extra tanginess to the dish (optional)
Cost: $13.39, or $2.68-$3.39 per person (or $1.18-$1.46 per person if you snag the corn, black beans, avocado slices, cheese and lettuce from your dining hall’s salad bar!)
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Steps:
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, place it in a small bowl and cover with salsa. Let the salsa marinate the chicken while you begin cubing the avocado and shredding the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. The longer the chicken can marinate, the better — it lets all of the flavor seep in.
- Once that’s done, open the can of black beans and drain out all the excess juices. Pour the beans into a small bowl and, using a fork, smash them into a paste. The texture should be close to refried beans (only healthier!).
- As the chicken bakes, line a plate with paper towels and set it next to the stove. Then, add the oil to a frying pan, setting it to medium-high. Once it starts bubbling a bit, place a corn tortilla on the oil, frying both sides until they’re lightly golden and slightly bubbly. Set them on the paper towels to dry.
- While the tortillas dry, dial back the stove top to medium heat, pour the chicken and salsa into the frying pan, and let it cook until the chicken is white all the way through.
- When the chicken’s almost ready, warm the black beans and corn in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
- Spread a light layer of black beans onto each tostada, then layer on the corn, chicken, lettuce, avocado, cheese and extra salsa. Top with a light sprinkling of chili powder and lime juice to complete the dish.