Hot Mexican Chicken Salad Recipe Is Budget-Friendly & Loaded With Protein & Fiber (20 Minutes) by Donna John
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This Mexican recipe was shared with me in the '90s by a good friend. We had a group called The Recipe Club, which was part of a mom preschool meetup group. Good times, and good recipes! This hot Mexican chicken salad recipe is one I still make today.
Wondering why this looks like a Mexican or Tex-Mex tostada? The reason it's considered "chicken salad" is because of the addition of mayonnaise, which makes it so rich and creamy. This creamy hot baked Mexican chicken salad recipe is a quick and filling dinner that's loaded with protein and fiber. Check out the health benefits of fiber and the health benefits of protein.
Here is your shopping list for this budget recipe: cooked chicken, sharp cheddar cheese, kidney or pinto beans (read about the health benefits of beans), red bell pepper (read about the health benefits of red bell pepper), onion, sour cream, mayonnaise, a can of chopped green chiles, taco seasoning and crispy tostada shells. Also, grab whatever toppings you'd like to add, like avocado or fresh cilantro.
Cooking Note: The original recipe says to broil the tostadas for 2 minutes. For me, the filling doesn't get hot enough before the shells start to get too dark, so now I cook them at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes.
Serve this hot Mexican chicken salad as a budget high-protein and high-fiber dinner any night of the week.
Cuisine: Mexican / Tex-Mex / American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used boneless chicken breast and boneless chicken thighs)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- 15 ounces (1 can) kidney beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles, drained
- 1 ounce (1 packet) taco seasoning (I used Old El Paso Taco Seasoning)
- crispy tostada caseras or crispy tostada shells
Optional Toppings
- sour cream
- guacamole
- avocado slices
- fresh cilantro
- salsa or pico de gallo
Here's how to make it:
- Combine the chicken, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, beans, red bell pepper, onion, sour cream, mayonnaise, green chiles and taco seasoning in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir well to combine.
- Put the tostada shells onto a baking sheet. Top with a heaping amount of the chicken salad.
- Top with some of the remaining cheddar cheese. (Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-packaged shredded cheese, so shred it fresh if you can.)
- Bake in a preheated 450-degree F oven for about 5 minutes or until chicken salad is hot and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining shells and filling.
- Top with desired toppings. Serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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