Chicken Pineapple Salsa Tostadas (Print Version)

Crispy tostadas layered with seasoned chicken, pineapple salsa, and tangy lime crema for vibrant flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Pineapple Salsa

09 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
10 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
12 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
13 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - Juice of 1 lime
15 - Pinch of salt

→ Lime Crema

16 - 1/2 cup sour cream
17 - Zest of 1 lime
18 - Juice of 1/2 lime
19 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

20 - 8 small corn tostada shells
21 - 1 avocado, sliced
22 - Extra cilantro leaves for garnish
23 - Lime wedges for serving

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Set oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
03 - Place chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes until cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
04 - While chicken cooks, combine pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
05 - Whisk together sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
06 - Heat tostada shells in the oven for 3–4 minutes if desired.
07 - Top each tostada with shredded chicken, pineapple salsa, lime crema, and avocado slices. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can actually pull this off on a night when you're tired but want to eat something that tastes restaurant-quality.
  • The combination of textures—crispy tostada, tender chicken, juicy pineapple, creamy avocado—makes every bite feel intentional and delicious.
  • You can prep most of it ahead, so assembly becomes the fun part rather than the stressful part.
02 -
  • Fresh pineapple is essential because the juice from canned pineapple will make your tostada shells fall apart within minutes of assembly.
  • Don't assemble these more than a few minutes before eating—the combination of crema and salsa on a crispy shell has a shelf life of about ten minutes before everything gets soggy.
  • If you're cooking for people with different spice tolerances, leave the jalapeño seeds in a small bowl so adventurous eaters can add their own heat.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken if you're short on time—it'll be just as delicious and cuts your cooking time in half, leaving you more room to focus on getting the salsa and crema exactly right.
  • Keep your lime zester or microplane clean and ready because zesting a lime at the last minute feels chaotic, and doing it early lets you stay calm and organized.
  • Toast your tostada shells under the broiler for 60 seconds if you want them crispier and warmer—just watch them because they go from perfect to burnt in about ten seconds.
Return