There was a time when Friday night meant dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Most of the time we would meant some friends there, have some fun conversation over dinner and margaritas, then head home totally relaxed after a busy work week. Those days are gone. Even when we are able to muster up the energy to take the kids out for dinner we always leave saying the same thing “Wouldn’t it have been easier if we’d just stayed home?” (Not to mention cheaper. Feeding a family of four at a restaurant can be a scary thing.) But we’ve found a way to get back a little bit of the fun of our old Fridays without the frustration, or the exorbitant bill – I plan a great meal to cook at home, then wait until the kids are asleep before I even start cooking. That way John and I have a chance to take a deep breath, relax, and even finish a complete sentence while we catch up on the week’s events. And since we look forward to this time all week, I want the meal to be an event, but then again I don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen. Sounds like some pretty narrow parameters, but I think this week’s meal hit the mark on all accounts.
These chicken tostadas quickly became a favorite with both of us. The warmer weather just seems to beg for meals with fresh flavor, and these tostadas are packed full of that. And this meal will become even better this summer when the garden is full of vegetables. This is a simple recipe with simple ingredients – but these tostadas are far from ordinary. Just the simple act of roasting the vegetables in the oven for a few minutes transforms them into ingredients for an incredibly tasty sauce (that I plan to use on lots of other dishes too!) The tortillas are fried until crispy, which I admit is a little indulgent, but so worth the splurge. If you just can’t bring yourself to take the plunge, then you can use the dry heat method to brown them. Just spray each tortilla with cooking spray, then cook in a skillet over medium heat until browned. They won’t get crispy, or as delicious as the original, but you shouldn’t miss out on this amazing meal just because of a little vegetable oil.
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Sometimes when I know my chicken (about 1 lb) will not defrost for dinner I cut it into a few pieces. Then I add it to a pot with 2 cans of diced tomatoes (any flavor) and some water. I also add 1 tsp of chicken bouillon. I let it simmer til its cooked and then I shred it.(You can add more water as it evaporates.) It is the perfect meat filling for any Mexican dish. Some times I also saute garlic and onions and add it to the pot. I have lived in Mexico and this is a great substitute to what I am use to eating
I made this recipe the other night and it was super tasty and pretty easy. My husband loved the sauce he said the cilantro added freshness.
Glad you enjoyed it! Your husband is so right – the cilantro really adds a nice punch of flavor.