Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

I'm on a Mexican kick right now. For some reason I can't get enough of the flavors and spices. I've been wanting to try a tostada for awhile now, so when Nichole's recipe for Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa popped up in my Google Reader I immediately bookmarked it and put it on the weekly menu.

These were so simple to make and the flavors and textures were incredible. I'm kicking myself for not trying these sooner. I don't know why I thought they'd be so complicated - it's just a crispy tortilla covered in the things I usually stuff inside.

I prepped everything during the day so all I had to do was assemble and bake to melt the cheese and crisp the tortilla further. I cut mine into 4 sections and ate it like a pizza - yum!

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa
As seen on The Cookaholic Wife, originally from Cooking Light, August 2012

1 cup tomato, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 fajita-size tortillas
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup queso fresco, cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Combine tomato, avocado, onion and cilantro together in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, pepper and salt. Pour over the avocado mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350.

Add a splash of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet for 30-45 seconds, or until puffy and lightly browned. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Divide black beans, chicken and queso fresco among tortillas. Transfer tortillas to a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through.

Divide the avocado salsa and lettuce among the tortillas and serve immediately.

*This is how I prepare my chicken if I don't have leftover chicken to use: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a piece of aluminum foil across a baking sheet, and arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and season as you wish. Fold the aluminum foil over the chicken breasts, and enclose them to form a "packet." Bake the chicken (on the baking sheet) 35-45 minutes, or until it is cooked through.