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    Sweet And Tangy Pickled Pineapple Recipe

    August 23, 2022 By Lea Ann Brown 44 Comments

    Pickled pineapple in a storage jar.

    Pickled Pineapple is a surprising treat. Just add water, vinegar, salt and spices and sweet pineapple chunks are transformed into a wonderful tangy relish. Quick and easy.

    Pickled Pineapple in a jar.

    What You Can Expect From This Recipe

    This pickled pineapple recipe comes from my hometown in Kansas. A recipe from a series of cookbooks created from a compilation of recipes published each day in the local newspaper, The Hutchinson News.

    This recipe was from the book which featured recipes from 1952-1955. Good old fashioned farm country cooking recipes.

    With all that said … we like anything pickled, so when I spotted this recipe for pickled pineapple I had to give it a try. 

    Incredibly easy, it simply states “serve with poultry, meat or fish“.

    What Is Pickled Pineapple?

    This recipe is a refrigerator style quick pickling method where chunks of fresh pineapple are soaked in a vinegar based brine with spices. In this case we’re adding sugar, cinnamon and cloves.

    This initial recipe is very simple to make, however it needs a week in the refrigerator to meld the flavors. You’ll end up with a tangy sweet and sour relish topping.

    Our favorite way to serve it is over pan fried pork tenderloin medallions = delicious combo. But I’ve also used it for tacos, over grilled steak or chicken and even sprinkled over and Accompaniment Salad. Pickled pineapple is also great for snacking right out of the jar.

    If you’ve never pickled fruit, you’re missing out on an explosion of unexpected flavor. Another one of my favorites is this recipe for Pickled Strawberries. Another amazing topping for pork.

    Let’s take a look.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients to make pickled pineapple.
    • Pineapple: Fresh. Tip: Use fresh ripe but firm pineapple to maintain texture during pickling.
    • White Vinegar: or Apple Cider Vinegar
    • Sugar
    • Cinnamon Stick
    • Whole Cloves
    • Salt

    Pro-Tip: Use Kosher salt. It dissolves quicker and will bring a more pure salt flavor to the finished product.

    Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

    This quick pickled pineapple recipe is so easy, with just a few minutes of hands on time.

    Preparation:

    Sterilize jars to insure they are clean to prevent contamination. I like to run them through the dishwasher.

    Chopped fresh pineapple on a blue cutting board.
    1. Step 1: Prepare Pineapple: Remove the skin and core and chop pineapple into small bite-sized pieces. If using canned chunked pineapple, drain pineapple and reserve syrup.
    Making pickled pineapple pickling syrup.
    Cooking pineapple chunks in pickled pineapple syrup solution.
    1. Step 2: Make the Brine: Place drained syrup from canned pineapple into saucepan. If using a fresh pineapple, use ¾ cup of pineapple juice or water.
    2. Step 3: Make The Pineapple Pickles: Add vinegar, sugar, salt and spices. Simmer uncovered for ten minutes. Let cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes and place the pickled pineapple and syrup into a container and store in the refrigerator.

    Pickled Pineapple FAQ’s

    Can I Use Canned Pineapple Instead of Fresh?

    Fresh pineapple is recommended for this recipe for the best flavor and texture. However I’ve used canned pineapple many times. Just make sure you purchase pineapple chunks. You’ll use the syrup from the can in the pickling process.

    Does The Pineapple Get Mushy?

    Actually no, as long as you’re not using an overly ripe pineapple. The short 10 minute cook time is perfect to infuse a pickled flavor to pineapple without cooking the fruit too much.

    Can I Make This Recipe Spicy?

    Yes. Omit the cloves and cinnamon stick. Add one sliced jalapeno pepper and ¼ cup of lime juice. A few springs of cilantro will add another layer of Southwestern flavor.

    How Long Does It Take To Pickle Pineapple?

    From start to finish, you’ll have quick pickled pineapple in less than 30 minutes. And even quicker than that if you’re using canned pineapple rather than fresh. You’ll eliminate the peeling and chopping process. However, refrigerate for 24 hours before using for best flavor.

    Storage

    Store Pickled Pineapple in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Then discard if you notice off smells or changes in texture.

    How To Use It

    Pan Seared Sliced Pork Tenderloin = easy.

    So you’ve got pickled pineapple, now what? It’s is a perfect topping for pork. (Our preferred use). Season sliced pork tenderloin with salt and pepper, or even a little Monterey Steak Seasoning. It only takes a few minutes to pay fry them. Quick to cook for a super easy dinner.

    Sweet pickled pineapple chunks. A great pickled relish for any meat entree.
    • Sprinkle it over grilled chicken breasts.
    • How about a topping for fish tacos or shrimp tacos?
    • We’ve enjoyed this relish on grilled steak tacos.
    • Use them as a relish for hotdogs for that irresistible sweet, tangy and salty experience.
    • Or even toss them in Jalapeno Pineapple Coleslaw.

    Serving tip: To add even another layer of flavor, sprinkle pickled pineapple with some fine chopped sweet onion or shallots before serving over your favorite main course.

    Pickled pineapple in sunflower bowl.

    This easy pickled pineapple is such a unique and delicious treat, I hope you give the recipe a try. It’s an exciting condiment that you’ll want to sprinkle on about everything.

    More Things You Might Want To Pickle

    • Pickled strawberries served over sliced pork roast.
      Easy Quick Pickled Strawberries
    • Easy Quick Mexican Pickled Onions
    • Old Fashioned Pickled beets in canning jars.
      How To Make Old Fashioned Pickled Beets, A Step by Step
    • Homemade spicy pickles in a ball canning jar
      How To Make Spicy Pickles From Store Bought Dills

    And don’t miss this recipe for Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos. A recipe from Denver landmark, The Fort Restaurant. They use their pickled jalapenos to make a peanut butter stuffed appetizer.

    And the most popular pickling recipe on my site for Old Fashioned Pickled Beets. With step by step instructions, a reliable Ball canning recipe.

    Pickled pineapple in a storage jar.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Pickled Pineapple Recipe

    A delicious relish topping for fish, beef, chicken or pork.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Brine time30 minutes mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 226kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Equipment

    • sauce pan
    • Jar for storing

    Ingredients

    • 20 ounces canned pineapple chunks or 1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
    • syrup from one can of pineapple chunks or ¾ cup pineapple juice or water
    • ¾ Cup Vinegar
    • 1 ¼ Cup granulated sugar
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt Kosher salt preferred
    • 6 whole cloves
    • 1 4-inch stick cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Drain syrup from canned pineapple into saucepan. If using a fresh pineapple, use ¾ cup of pineapple juice or water.
    • Add vinegar, sugar, salt and spices.
    • Add chopped pineapple and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for ten minutes.
    • Remove from heat and let cool for about 30 minutes. Transfer to a container and refrigerate covered for up to one week. Let sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using … for best flavor.

    Notes

    Pro-Tip: Use Kosher salt. It dissolves quicker and will bring a more pure salt flavor to the finished product.
    Keep pickled pineapple in a wide-mouthed mason jar, or a decorative glass jar. Every time you open the refrigerator, that sparkling yellow pineapple will remind you to use it before it goes bad.
    Serving tip: Sprinkle pickled pineapple with some fine chopped sweet onion or shallots before serving over your favorite main course.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.4mg

    If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    Pickled Pineapple … It’s What’s For Pork

    Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken, Fast Juicy Meal Prep

    August 16, 2022 By Lea Ann Brown 24 Comments

    BBQ Dutch oven shredded chicken sliders.

    This is an easy Dutch oven shredded chicken recipe that makes a great chicken slider. Put your Dutch Oven to work for this wonderfully easy BBQ Pulled Chicken. Classic in flavor with a tangy twist, and popular with all. Your hungry party crowd will thank you.

    And speaking of easy chicken dinner, don’t miss this recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Tacos.

    Crockpot bbq chicken sandwich with corn on the con and yellow watermelon slices.

    What You Can Expect From This Recipe

    • Who: Who is this recipe for? For home cooks, whether beginner, intermediate or expert, looking for an easy, versatile and flavorful shredded chicken recipe.
    • What It Is: This large batch recipe works very well for feeding that hungry game day crowd, or for dividing into portions for meal prep.
    • How To Make It: Mix together the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce ingredients, peel and quarter some onion. Place chicken breasts in your Dutch Oven. Top with onions and BBQ sauce and bake for 1 ½ hours. All that’s left to do is shred the chicken and grab some slider buns.
    • Why You’ll Love It: The unique ingredients in this BBQ sauce is a perfect blend of sweet and tangy. It’s a super easy, one pot recipe to make for a really tasty weeknight dinner, or perfect party food. I can’t imagine anyone turning up their nose at this one. It’s perfect.

    Why Use A Dutch Oven For Shredded Chicken?

    • First of all, I think it’s easier than making it in the Crock Pot. It’s faster and works just as well for tender juicy, fall-apart meat.
    • Using a good quality heavy Dutch Oven is a perfect vessel to build flavors on each other, combining the chicken-y juices with the stellar lineup of flavors in the BBQ Sauce. A good Dutch oven and it’s heavy lid traps moisture and marries those flavors beautifully.
    • One pot meal = easy cleanup.

    Perfect Shredded Chicken Sliders

    I like to serve Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken as sliders. Who can argue with little hand held shredded chicken slider topped with a scoop of coleslaw? Easy to eat and easy on the palate.

    In a nutshell, Dutch Oven shredded chicken tossed in a lively BBQ sauce is piled into soft buns and smothered with creamy coleslaw for some delicious sandwiches. Let your Dutch Oven do all of the work and to please that crowd.

    Table of contents

    • What You Can Expect From This Recipe
      • Why Use A Dutch Oven For Shredded Chicken?
      • Perfect Shredded Chicken Sliders
    • Ingredients You’ll Need
      • Ingredient Subs and Swaps
    • Step by Step Instructions – It’s SO Easy
    • Question You May Have
    • Meal Prep and Storage
    • What Goes With Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken Sliders?
    • Topping Ideas
    • More Ways To Use Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken
    • Recipe For Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken
    • Related Recipes
    Ingredients to make bbq chicken sliders.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    You’ve probably got all the ingredients on hand to make Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken.

    • A combination of boneless skinless Chicken Breasts and Chicken Thighs: You can use all breast meat or all thigh meat. I’ve made it with all chicken breasts, or a combo. Both work well.
    • Pineapple Juice
    • Hot Sauce: Your favorite brand.
    • Ketchup
    • Onion: Sweet onion or yellow onion is recommended.
    • BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite brand. For us, I usually grab Stubbs Brand. For a very special treat, make your own bbq sauce like I do for BBQ Meatballs. It’s totally scrumptious.
    • Brown Sugar: Either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work here. Dark Brown Sugar will give you a richer molasses -ish flavor.
    • Apple Cider Vinegar
    • Worcestershire Sauce
    • Slider Buns

    Ingredient Subs and Swaps

    • Pineapple Juice: I recommend using pineapple juice for this recipe, but if you want, substitute orange juice.
    • Vinegar: You can use about any type of vinegar here. White vinegar will work just fine, a red-wine vinegar would be a good choice, and if you have Sherry Vinegar, give that a try. Sherry vinegar will bring a special and beautiful rich flavor.
    • Buns: The end flavor of this bbq chicken is a sweet one, so I usually choose regular slider buns. But for a sweeter experience, Kings Hawaiian Slider buns would be a popular choice.

    Choose bone in chicken. Whenever a bone is involved, there’s more flavor involved. It will just make the task of shredding the chicken a little bit more time intensive.

    Step by Step Instructions – It’s SO Easy

    Let your Dutch Oven do the work for you by simply adding boneless skinless chicken and bbq sauce, voila = easy Dutch Oven pulled chicken.

    Making bbq sauce for bbq chicken sliders.
    Sauce for bbq chicken sandwiches.
    1. Step 1: Add pineapple juice, hot sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to a small bowl.
    1. Step 2: Using a fork or a whisk, mix and stir until well blended.
    Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken with onions on top.
    Adding bbq sauce to Dutch oven pulled chicken.
    1. Step 3: Add the chicken breasts and quartered onions to the Dutch Oven.
    1. Step 4: Pour in the BBQ Sauce mixture. Cook 1 ½ hours, covered.
    Shredded chicken to make shredded bbq chicken sandwiches.
    1. Step 5: Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board or sheet pan. Using two forks, shred the chicken for the pulled chicken sliders. Shred small enough to fit on a slider bun. Add about a cup of the sauce from the Dutch Oven and stir well.

    Question You May Have

    Can I Cook This Is The Crockpot?

    Yes, Unfortunately this is not a dump it and leave it type of meal to cook all day for when you get home from work. Unlike tougher pieces of meat like a pot roast, you can over-cook chicken breasts. Even though they’re swimming in liquid, cooking chicken breasts too long will result in a dry texture. Don’t cook the chicken more than 4 hours.

    Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?

    If you’re short on time, rotisserie chicken would be a good option for shredded chicken sliders. Just place the bbq sauce ingredients into a medium saucepan. Simmer the bbq sauce for about 15 minutes so that it will blend flavors and thicken. Add the shredded chicken and heat through.

    Can I Use Frozen Chicken For This Recipe?

    Absolutely not. Unless you want to risk salmonella poisoning. Only used thawed chicken for Dutch Oven pulled chicken. Why? Frozen chicken will not likely reach the temperature of 165 within the "safe window" of time in the Dutch Oven. It’s just too risky.

    What’s The Best Way To Shred Chicken?

    This chicken will be so tender, using two forks works well here. Just use the pull apart method with the forks facing down. Your hands are also good tools here. I’ve also seen people use a stand mixer. Just place the chicken meat in a large bowl and beat on a low speed.

    Pro Tip: Some chicken breasts are injected with a water solution for "plumping" reasons. If you have purchased these you will find it swimming in liquid once it's cooked. Purchase high quality chicken breasts (recommended) for this recipe. You'll find the chicken at Whole Foods or reputable quality butcher shops are natural without injected liquids. The end result will be a chicken cooking in natural juices.

    Meal Prep and Storage

    • Meal Prep: I always love a recipe that you can make on a leisurely Sunday and divide into portions for meal prep for the week. Once the chicken is shredded and cooled to room temperature, divide into freezer safe containers or freezer bags. I like to fill zip-lock style bags, squeeze the air out, seal well, then lay flat in the freezer to optimize freezer safe.
    • Defrost: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat individual servings. The 50% power feature on the microwave is your best friend here. Just heat in 30 second increments until warmed.
    • Storage: Shredded chicken will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    What Goes With Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken Sliders?

    In a perfect world, we’d have access to fresh grown sweet corn and watermelon year round. Here are some other side dish ideas if you’re making this recipe during Winter months.

    • Smoked Mozzarella Penne Pasta Salad, very popular recipe.
    • Blue Cheese Potato Salad with Bacon
    • Spicy Baked Beans
    • Mexican Mac and Cheese

    Topping Ideas

    Coleslaw seems like a natural for a traditional topping for these bbq shredded chicken sliders. I’m picky about coleslaw and like this Bobby Flay Coleslaw Recipe. But have some fun and offer guests a selection of toppings.

    • Smashed avocado.
    • Dill pickles or spicy pickles.
    • Slices of fresh or pickled jalapeno.
    • Red Onion. Even though you have cooked onion in the cooked bbq sauce, a slice of red onion for a topping will add a nice crunch and bold flavor.
    • If you want to add a creamy topping experience, consider a drizzle of Jalapeno Aioli.
    BBQ chicken sliders with different toppings.

    More Ways To Use Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

    Think outside that bun. Aside from the classic bbq chicken sandwich, here are some more ideas.

    • BBQ Chicken Wraps: Use a flour tortilla or a wrap and roll with lettuce, avocado, and cheddar.
    • Grilled Cheese: Layer bbq chicken and cheddar between two slices of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and toast in a skillet.
    • BBQ Chicken Quesadillas: Layer some bbq chicken, cheese on a flour or corn tortilla and fry up crispy. Take a look at my post for Corn Tortilla Quesadillas for tips on how to make them.
    • Pizza: BBQ shredded chicken works really well as a topping for BBQ Chicken Pizza.

    Recipe For Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

    If you’re looking for an incredibly easy shredded chicken recipe to feed a crowd, consider this Dutch Oven version. It’s such a great recipe for feeding a football crowd, or to take to a pot luck gathering.

    It’s an easy sliders recipe that is guaranteed to wow that crowd. And don’t miss my Chicken Recipe Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most favorite on my site for my Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet.

    Related Recipes

    • Sloppy joes for a crowd. A sloppy joe served on a plate with potato chips.
      Church Supper Sloppy Joes For a Crowd, Serves 60
    • Crock pot coca cola brisket, shredded and served over mashed potatoes.
      Crock Pot Brisket with Coca Cola BBQ Sauce
    • crispy baked wings with celery sticks and ranch dressing.
      Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings in Santa Fe Sauce
    • Pollo barbacoa served on a flour tortilla with toppings.
      Chicken Barbacoa (Pollo Barbacoa)

    If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    BBQ Dutch oven shredded chicken sliders.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken Sliders

    Put your Dutch Oven to work for these wonderfully easy BBQ Chicken Sliders. Classic in flavor with a tangy twist, and popular with all. This is an easy sliders recipe to feed that party crowd. Dutch Oven Pulled Pork is a tasty way to feed that hungry crowd.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course Sandwiches
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 16 sliders
    Calories: 213kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups ketchup
    • ½ cup barbecue sauce
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup pineapple juice
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
    • Tabasco sauce to taste abut 4 shakes for us
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 3 pounds Boneless skinless chicken breasts or a combo of boneless thighs and breasts
    • 2 medium onions peeled and cut into fourths
    • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
    • 16 Slider buns

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Mix sauce ingredients and set aside.
    • Spray inside of Dutch Oven with cooking spray. Add chicken pieces and quartered onions. Pour sauce over chicken and onions.
    • Cook chicken for 1 ½ hours. Remove chicken from Dutch Oven and shred with two forks.
    • Add about a cup of the sauce from the Dutch Oven to the shredded chicken. If there's not too much liquid in the pot, return the meat to the pot and set on warm. Serve on heated or grilled buns with coleslaw or guacamole.

    Notes

    Pro Tip: Some chicken breasts are injected with a water solution for "plumping" reasons. If you have purchased one of these you will find it swimming in liquid once it's cooked. Which means the bbq sauce will be much thinner and diluted in flavor. Purchase high quality chicken breasts (recommended) for this recipe. You'll find the chicken at Whole Foods or reputable quality butcher shops are natural without injected liquids. The end result will be a chicken cooking in natural juices.
    Can you place frozen chicken breasts in the Dutch Oven? Absolutely not. Unless you want to risk salmonella poisoning. Only used thawed chicken for any chicken recipe. Why? Frozen chicken will not likely reach the temperature of 165 within the “safe window” of time in the oven. It’s just too risky.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slider | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 336mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

    Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken Sliders … They’re Whats For Dinner

    Avocado Mango Salad with Blue Cheese

    August 11, 2022 By Lea Ann Brown 6 Comments

    Avocado Mango Salad with blue cheese and bacon.

    This Avocado Mango Salad recipe is delightful with fresh ingredients and irresistible textures. Topped with blue cheese and bacon bits, a honey lime jalapeno dressing sends this one over the top. It’s simply a salad you won’t forget.

    Avocado Mango Salad with blue cheese and bacon.

    Why Is This Avocado and Mango Salad So Good?

    This is a Rick Bayless salad recipe that I’ve been making for years. It’s a beautiful Mexican themed salad that pairs well with about any entree.

    • This salad is tropical, bright and lively drizzled with a jalapeno pepper, lime dressing.
    • The savory aroma of garlic and a hint of sweetness from honey combined with salty bacon and bold tangy blue cheese makes this a very compelling salad.
    • The textures are a combination of buttery, creamy and crisp.

    I adore mangos on so many levels. Puree’d as a base for a Jamaican themed Mango Dressing, or simply sliced over cottage cheese for a healthy snack.

    If you’re like me and can rarely walk by those huge bins of bright colored mangoes without picking up a couple, this avocado mango salad will be a great way to enjoy them.

    Tip: Choose a ripe sweet mango to make the most of the flavors here.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients to make avocado mango salad.
    • Butter Lettuce: Butter lettuce is a type of green lettuce related to Boston Lettuce. It has a soft leafy texture that feels like it’s melting in your mouth. The flavor is mild with somewhat of a sweet nuance.
    • Ripe Mango
    • Ripe Creamy Avocado
    • Jalapeno Pepper
    • Bacon
    • Garlic
    • Limes, for juice and garnish.
    • Blue Cheese: Choose a soft blue cheese, like Maytag.
    • Olive Oil, either virgin or extra virgin olive oil works well here.
    • Honey

    Ingredient Swaps and Subs

    • Lettuce: Substitute Romaine lettuce or Red Leaf Lettuce.
    • Cheese: Crumbled goat cheese is a good stand-in or try Mexican Queso Fresco.

    Questions You May Have

    How To Pick A Ripe Mango?

    Mangoes are best when they’re ripe. Some mangoes change color when they’re ripe, but the most common mango found in our markets is the Tommy Adkins which keeps its green and red coloring throughout its shelf life. It’s ripe if it’s somewhat flexible with a gentle squeeze and has a sweet smell at the stem end.

    How Do You Peel and Slice A Mango?

    What a job! But it’s worth every single curse word muttered. First of all, don’t peel the mango before you try to slice it. The flesh is too slimy to handle. And then follow these instruction on Mango.org.

    How Do You Choose An Avocado For Slicing?

    Ripeness is best determined by pressure not the color of the avocado. Press down on the avocado with your thumb. A good one will have a little give rather than feeling like you're pressing against a wall. If your thumbprint stays indented or the flesh feels squishy, skip it, as it's likely overripe. Overripe avocados simply won’t slice well for a salad. Save them to make guacamole

    Can I Make This Salad Ahead Of Time?

    Unfortunately, aside from preparing the vinaigrette ahead of time, this isn’t a great “make ahead” recipe. It’s so easy to throw together, it’s best to assemble right before serving. If made ahead, the avocado will turn color. You can assemble all ingredients on individual plates and refrigerate covered with plastic wrap, then add the avocado at the last minute, but that seems like more work than it’s worth.

    Avocado Tip: Cold air is an avocado’s best friend. Store avocados in the refrigerator to keep them from further ripening. However, If you have a harder underripe avocado, leave it at on the counter at room temperature to ripen.

    OXO Tool to slice mangoes for mango cream cheese stuffed french toast

    Tip: Purchase a Mango slicer. It works like a charm to slice the flesh away from the pit. Once the two halves are separated, use a sharp knife to cut the flesh into slices. I’ve hardly mangled a mango since I purchased mine.

    Step by Step Instructions – It’s Easy

    Prepare The Honey Lime Vinaigrette

    Cooking sliced jalapeno peppers and garlic cloves in olive oil.
    • Step 1: Heat a small fry pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the jalapeno slices and whole garlic cloves. Cook until jalapeno slices are starting to soften and garlic is starting to brown. About 4 – 5 minutes.
    Ingredients for honey lime dressing in food chopper.
    How to make honey lime dressing in a food chopper.
    • Step 2: Scrape all of the ingredients from the saucepan into a food chopper or food processor. Add honey and ½ teaspoon salt and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
    How to make an avocado mango salad.
    • Step 3: Build the salad. Place three leaves of butter lettuce on a plate. Alternate slices of avocado and mango over the lettuce. Sprinkle with bacon bits, and crumbles of blue cheese. Garnish with rings of jalapeno pepper and lime wedges. Drizzle with honey lime dressing. A bit of freshly ground black pepper is always welcome. Enjoy.

    What To Serve with Avocado Mango Salad

    • Perfect for any Traditional Mexican Entree, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, etc.
    • Ideal for a Mexican themed dinner party.
    • It shines when served next to grilled chicken, seafood, pork or beef.
    • And don’t forget those burgers.

    Variations

    1. Bacon can be replaced with flaked smoked salmon or trout.
    2. Top with grilled chicken breast for an entree salad.
    3. Leave out the bacon to make the salad vegetarian, or replace it with pan-grilled onion slices.
    4. The luscious texture of mango works well with avocado, but so would ripe peach or nectarine.
    5. The jalapeno could be replaced by hot ground red chile (like New Mexico Chimayo Chile)-sprinkle it over the salad rather than blending it with the dressing.
    6. Over-the-Top Crab-Avocado-Mango Salad: Sprinkle a generous portion of crab meat over the avocado mango salad before drizzling with dressing.
    7. Sprinkle with toasted pepita seeds.
    8. Chopped cilantro is always welcome.

    This avocado mango salad is one I can never get enough of. Fresh, vibrant and just eating it makes me feel healthy and energetic.

    The dressing is light and bright. Made with olive oil and beautifully seasoned with honey, lime juice, garlic and jalapeno. It’s a fresh topping for the tender butter leaf lettuce and a perfect flavor for this mango avocado combo.

    More Popular Salad Recipes

    • Peach salad with butter leaf lettuce, cheese, cherry tomatoes and pistachio dressing.
      Butter Lettuce Salad With Peaches and Pistachio Vinaigrette
    • Southwestern Salad Recipe with corn and black beans served in a glass serving bowl with a side of cumin lime honey vinaigrette and cotija cheese
      Spicy Southwest Salad Recipe with Black Beans
    • Spanish salad side dish for paella.
      Fennel Orange and Olive Salad, Side Dish for Paella
    • Baby Kale Salad with apples and sunflower seeds.
      Baby Kale Salad with Honey Cider Vinaigrette

    And if you’re salad fans like us, don’t miss my post on 9 Secrets To A Remarkable Tossed Salad. A step by step guide on how to make the best tossed salad ever. And don’t miss my Salad Category, you’ll find lots of healthy meal options, including the most popular on my site for Taco Salad Made with Catalina Dressing.

    If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    Avocado Mango Salad with blue cheese and bacon.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Avocado Mango Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese

    Avocado Mango Salad, Fresh ingredients, beautiful textures and awesome flavors.  Buttery and tropical, keep reading to see what all the fuss is about.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican Fusion
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 590kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Equipment

    • Food Processor or food chopper

    Ingredients

    • 4 slices bacon
    • ½ cup fresh lime juice about 4 limes
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled
    • 1 small jalapeno stemmed, seeded, sliced
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 large Butter Lettuce Boston or Bibb Lettuce. Leaves separated
    • 2 large ripe avocados peeled and sliced
    • 2 ripe mangoes peeled and sliced
    • ¾ cup Blue Cheese Gorgonzola, or queso fresco works great here

    Instructions

    • Cook the bacon slices your preferred method. Either in the oven, stovetop in a skillet or between a double layer of paper towels on a microwavable plate. Microwave on high for 2 ½ to 3 ½ minutes, until crispy.
    • Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic cloves and sliced jalapeno chile. Cook, stirring regularly, until the garlic is soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
    • Scrape the oil, garlic and jalapeno into the blender or food chopper or food processor. Add the honey, lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Process until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if you think necessary. (It should be highly seasoned.)
    • Divide the lettuce between 4 dinner plates. Pit and the avocados, scoop flesh from the skin and cut it into slices. Cut the flesh of the mango from the pit. Peel, and slice to match the avocado pieces. 
    • Arrange the avocado and mango in the center of the lettuce. Drizzle everything with the dressing, then sprinkle with the cheese. Crumble the bacon over the top, and the salad is ready to serve.

    Notes

    A Few Simple Riffs: Bacon can be replaced with flaked hot-smoked salmon, trout or other fish.
    Leave out the bacon to make the salad vegetarian, or replace it with pan-grilled onion slices.
    The luscious texture of mango works well with avocado, but so would ripe peach or nectarine.
    The green chile could be replaced by hot ground red chile (like árbol)—sprinkle it over the salad rather than blending it with the dressing.
    Crumbled goat cheese is a good stand-in for Mexican queso fresco.
    Over-the-Top Crab-Avocado-Mango Salad: Sprinkle a generous portion of crab over the avocado and mango before drizzling with dressing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1645IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1mg

    Avocado Mango Salad … It’s What’s For Dinner

    This recipe for avocado mango salad was first published January of 2019 and updated August 2022 with new photos and step by step instructions.

    Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe For Chicken

    August 6, 2022 By Lea Ann Brown 31 Comments

    Homemade cherry bbq sauce in a glass bottled.

    This is an easy Cherry BBQ Sauce recipe using cherry preserves. The preserves combined with Port wine, citrus, cinnamon and cloves brings a tart, sweet, sticky and savory glaze to grilled chicken.

    Homemade cherry bbq sauce in a glass bottled.

    A wonderful twist on traditional BBQ sauce. Cherry bbq sauce is layered with flavors that will truly impress. As you savor each bite, you’ll start thinking about everything in sight that you could possibly drizzle this on. 

    Tart, sweet, sticky AND savory, it would be a perfect pair with duck or pork. Our first introduction was on some cinnamon cured smoked chicken.

    This Cherry BBQ Sauce is simply an awesome Summer recipe. It’s easy to make and with natural flavors that shine, I can’t imagine a bottled cherry BBQ sauce that can come close in flavor.

    Let’s take a look.

    Ingredients you’ll need:

    Ingredients to make cherry bbq sauce.
    • Ruby Port
    • Chicken Broth
    • Cherry Preserves
    • Spices: Red Pepper Flakes, Cinnamon and Ground Cloves.
    • Sweet Chili Sauce: Found on the Asian aisle.
    • Orange Marmalade
    • Corn Starch: For thickening.
    • Oranges and Lemons: For both the juice and zest.

    Ingredients Swaps and Subs

    • Ruby Port will bring a rich deep fortified wine. If you happen to have a Tawny Port on hand, it most certainly will fill in for the Ruby Port. You can also substitute a rich red wine. Shiraz would be an excellent choice here, or Chianti or Merlot. If you want to make this without alcohol, just increase the amount of chicken broth.
    • Corn Starch: Substitute rice flower or arrowroot powder.
    • Orange Marmalade: Substitute ¼ cup of frozen orange juice concentrate.

    Step by Step Instructions

    How to make homemade cherry barbecue sauce.
    Making a cornstarch slurry for homemade cherry bbq sauce.
    • Step 1: Combine chicken broth, cherry preserves, orange juice, lemon juice, zests, cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 8 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1 ½ cups. Stirring occasionally.
    • Step 2: Whisk the port and cornstarch in a small bowl until blended.
    • Step 3: Whisk the port/cornstarch mixture, orange marmalade and chili sauce into the broth mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Simmer for five minutes or until the flavors blend and the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Done!

    How To Use This Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe For Chicken

    Cherry BBQ Sauce will go very well with lamb or pork. However, our tradition is to serve with chicken on the grill. For this Cinnamon Cured Smoked Chicken to be exact.

    A simple chicken brine will bring this recipe to greatness.

    Citrus brine for grilled chicken.

    Chicken Brine Recipe

    • 4 cups water
    • ¼ cup kosher salt
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
    • 4 chicken drumsticks
    • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 thin lemon slice and 2 thin orange slices. Just use slices from the oranges and lemons from the cherry bbq sauce.
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 cups cherry wood chips

    How To: Whisk water, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl until the brown sugar dissolves. Add the chicken, onion, lemon and orange slices, and cinnamon. Marinate, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for one to three hours. Do not marinate longer than three hours.

    Adding Cherry Wood Smoke Flavor to Grilled Chicken

    Soaking cherry wood chips for grilled chicken.
    Cherry wood chips in tin foil for grilled chicken.

    I am in no way an accomplished “smoker” but it’s so easy to add a smoked nuance to grilled chicken. And by using your gas grill.

    Purchase a bag of cherry wood chips.

    • Combine the wood chips with enough water to cover in a bowl. Let stand for one hour and then drain.
    • Preheat grill on medium high heat. Place wood chips in a foil packet and don’t seal the top.
    • Place the packet under gas grill grates or on the coals (if using a charcoal grill) five minutes before grilling process begins and cover the grill.
    • Drain the chicken, discard marinade. Grill chicken for 10 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill another ten minutes. Turn the chicken again this time basting a few times and cook for five minutes. Turn chicken again and cook another five minutes, basting with the Cherry BBQ Sauce. Chicken should be grilled through and an instant read meat thermometer should read 165 degrees.

    Pro Tip: Once you drain the chicken and discard the marinade, use a paper towel and pat the chicken pieces dry. This will insure that once those dryer chicken pieces hit those hot grill grates that they’ll immediately start the searing and browning process.

    Grilled chicken basted in cherry bbq sauce.

    Cherry BBQ Sauce FAQ’s

    How Long Will This Keep?

    Store any unused bbq sauce in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to a week.

    How Do I Use This BBQ Sauce?

    Aside from chicken, this Cherry BBQ Sauce would make a delicious sauce for beef ribs, pork ribs, or grilled lamb chops. Try serving an appetizer of meatballs drizzled with this sauce = wow.

    Can I Make This Spicy?

    Cinnamon and cloves are a natural combo for spicy Southwestern cuisine. If you want to make this a spicy version, add 1 teaspoon of New Mexico Chile Powder of Ancho Chili Powder.

    Recipe for Cherry BBQ Sauce

    I hope you’ll give this Cherry Barbecue Sauce a try. It’s simply a wonderful cherry sauce for grilled chicken, and will give you a pleasant change from the expected traditional BBQ sauce.

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      Juicy Grilled Chicken Halves: The Ultimate Backyard Guide

    And if you’re looking for even more grilling ideas, don’t miss my Grilling Category, you’ll find lots of great Summer recipes including the most popular on my site for Italian Flank Steak.

    If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    Cherry bbq sauce with grilled chicken thighs and legs.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe For Chicken

    A delicious twist on traditional BBQ sauce.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 163kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • For The Cherry BBQ Sauce
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • ⅓ cup cherry preserves
    • ⅓ cup orange juice
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
    • ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ½ Cup ruby port
    • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
    • ¼ Cup orange marmalade
    • 1 Tablespoon chili sauce
    • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • For The Cinnamon Cured Smoked Chicken
    • 4 cups water
    • ¼ cup kosher salt
    • ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark
    • 8 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
    • 4 chicken drumsticks
    • 1 small onion thin sliced
    • 2 thin lemon slice and 2 thin orange slices.
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 cups cherry wood chips

    Instructions

    • Combine the broth, preserves, orange juice, lemon juice, zests, cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 8 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1 ½ cups. Stirring occasionally.
    • Whisk the port and cornstarch in a small bowl until blended.
    • Whisk the port/cornstarch mixture, orange marmalade and chili sauce into the sauce mix in the sauce pan.
    • Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the flavors blend and the sauce is slightly thickened.
    • Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
    • For The Grilled Chicken
    • Combine the wood chips with enough water to cover in a bowl. Let stand for one hour and then drain.
    • Preheat grill on medium high heat. Place wood chips in a foil packet and don't seal the top.
    • Place the packet under gas grill grates or on the coals (if using a charcoal grill) five minutes before grilling process begins and cover the grill.
    • Drain the chicken, discard marinade. Grill chicken for 10 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill another 10 minutes. Turn the chicken again this time basting a few times and cook for 5 minutes. Turn chicken again and cook another 5 minutes, basting with the cherry bbq sauce. Chicken should be grilled through and an instant read meat thermometer should read 165 degrees.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

    Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe For Chicken …It’s What’s for Dinner.

    This recipe was first published May of 2012 and updated August of 2022 with new photos and step by step instructions.

    How To Make A Mexican Tostada

    July 29, 2022 By Lea Ann Brown 38 Comments

    How to make a tostada with chorizo, refried beans and toppings.

    Learn how to make a Mexican tostada “great” by using the right textures and ingredients. Tostadas … fast, fun, fresh and infinitely versatile. And learning how to make a homemade tostada shell will turn that tostada experience into a true fiesta.

    How to make a tostada with refried beans, chorizo, cheese and smashed avocado.

    Many years and many tostadas later, I’m still hooked and think they’re about the best Mexican food going.

    With that beautiful warm tortilla shell, it seems you could throw about anything on it and have a good snack.

    But it should be a great snack. How to make a tostada a great tostada? It starts with homemade tostada shells. And ends with a good mix of ingredients that will insure a pleasant eating experience.

    How many times have you made a tostada just to have the ingredients fall all over the plate or yourself and make a total mess. Build that tostada right by using ingredients that will stay put!

    A great Mexican tostada is made snug and compact with texture and flavors to make a tostada manageable.

    Why This Recipe Works: This tostada meets all of the criteria for greatness with a creamy layer of beans, melted cheese and chorizo.

    Let’s take a look.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients To Make The Best Tostada.
    • Start with layer of something soft and creamy. Our choice is always refried beans.
    • Add savory seasoned protein of any kind. Our favorite is cooked ground chorizo.
    • And, of course, shredded cheese. Any hard cheese like cheddar is a good choice as it will shred well and melt well.
    • Avocado: I like to keep in simple with simple smashed avocado. Just use the back of a fork to smash it to a creamy consistency. Add a little salt or my Southwest Spice Blend for seasoning.
    • A good quality tostada shell.

    Easy enough, right? And this formula leaves us with an endless lineup of combinations.

    Variations

    • Soft and Creamy: Replace refried beans with black beans or pinto beans that have been drained and warmed.
    • Protein: Cooked and seasoned ground chicken, ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning. A stewed saucy meat is a good candidate for staying on that shell while eating. Try a Beef Machaca tostada. Want to keep it vegetarian? Omit the meat and just enjoy a bean, cheese, avocado tostada.
    • Cheese: Use any cheese that will melt well. Monterey Jack, Muenster and Pepper Jack will work well here.
    • Add some acid: I’ve gotten in the habit of serving any Mexican recipe with a wedge of lime. A quick squeeze will send it over the top with brightness. Another option is a dollop of your favorite salsa. Or Pico de Gallo is also a great choice.
    • Favorite Toppings: If you want, add a dollop of guacamole in place of the smashed avocado. A spoon full of sour cream, or Mexican Crema is also a good choice.
    • What To Avoid: Tostadas are always a bit messy, but you don’t want it’s entire contents to fall off. Avoid chopped avocado, big chunks of meat, or large pieces of lettuce. If you want to add lettuce or cabbage, make sure it’s very finely chopped.

    How To Make a Tostada Shell

    How to make homemade tostadas shells? This is a method for making tostada shells using store purchased soft corn tortillas.

    Easy way to make homemade tostada shells for homemade tostadas

    Making your own homemade Tostadas shells using store bought soft corn tortillas takes just a few minutes.

    • It starts with a good tortilla
    • Corn, of course. Yellow corn tortillas or white corn tortillas will work.
    • That’s cooked just chewy enough not to crumble in your hands
    • And one that stays crisp for the duration.

    Oven Baked Tostada Shells

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Lay soft corn tortillas on a baking sheet.
    • Lightly brush both sides with vegetable oil, olive oil or even cooking spray will work.
    • Sprinkle with light dusting of salt and chile powder.  I like to use Chimayo Chile Powder, or Ancho chile powder works great also.
    • Slide them into the oven and bake for about 3 minutes.
    • Turn them over, repeat salt, and chile powder and cook 3 minutes longer or until crispy.

    How To Make A Tostada Shell Stove Top

    • Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in an 8 inch skillet over high heat until it bubbles vigorously when the edge of the corn tortilla touches it’s surface.
    • Fry 1 tortilla at a time, turning once using tongs. Fry until it’s crispy, puffed in places and deeply golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
    • Transfer the tostada to to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Repeat wit the remaining tortillas.
    • A cup of oil will make about 8 tostada shells.

    Pro Tip: Homemade baked tostada shells are best eaten as soon as they’re cooked. So be sure you have all of your tostada ingredients ready to assemble.

    How To Build a Mexican Tostada

    Two tostada shells topped with refried beans.
    1. Step 1: How to make tostadas in the oven? Build tostadas directly on the baking sheet you’ll use to cook them in the oven. We’ll start with the creamy layer. Using a fork, smear warmed refried beans on the tostada shell. Canned refried beans will work well here, or use homemade refried beans.
    Homemade tostadas with refried beans and cheese.
    1. Step 2: Add grated cheese on top of the refried beans.

    Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

    How to make a tostada with refried beans, cheese and chorizo.
    1. Step 3: Add cooked chorizo. Adding a ground meat such as chorizo, taco hamburger meat, or ground cooked chicken will make a better tostada than chunks of meat like shredded chicken or shredded beef. The ground beef mixture will simply stay on the tostada better.
    2. Step 4: In a 400 degree oven, cook the tostadas until the cheese is nice and melted. This should take less than 5 minutes.
    Homemade tostada with refried beans, cheese and chorizo.
    1. Step 5: Plate the hot tostadas and add a dollop of smashed avocado. Using smashed avocado rather than avocado chunks will make for a less messy tostada. Cubed avocado will have a tendency to fall off when you eat the tostada.
    2. Step 6: We like to garnish with slices of fresh jalapeno, cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese.
    How To Eat A Tostada?

    Pick them up and eat them with your hands. It’s the only way. A knife and fork will only make a mess.

    Can I Use Flour Tortillas For Tostadas?

    Traditionally, tostadas are made with crispy corn tortillas. However you can prepare flour tortillas for tostadas by brushing the tortillas with oil, then placing topping on top and then baking. See this post for flour tortilla pizzas for step by step instructions.

    Are Tostadas Gluten Free?

    Corn tortillas are naturally gluten free, and if you follow this tostada recipe using refried beans, meat and cheese … yes they are gluten free.

    Make Ahead Tostadas

    To make ahead, simply have everything stored in the refrigerator. When ready to make the tostadas, warm the meat and beans in the microwave and then assemble and bake the tostadas.

    And if you love Mexican food as much as we do, don’t miss my Mexican Food Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chile with Pork.

    You Might Also Like:

    • Fried tacos served with salsa and sour cream.
      Mexican Fried Tacos (Tacos Dorados)
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      Swiss Chard Vegetarian Tacos
    • Adobo Shrimp Tostadas with Easy Lime Slaw
    • Fried corn tortilla quesadilla topped with a fried egg.
      Crispy Ham and Cheese Corn Tortilla Quesadillas

    If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    How to make a tostada with chorizo, refried beans and toppings.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    How To Make A Mexican Tostada with Refried Beans, Cheese and Chorizo

    Learn how to make a tostada "great" by using the right textures and ingredients. And learning how to make a tostada shell will turn that tostada experience into a fiesta.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time35 minutes mins
    Course: Mexican
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 646kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 6 tostada shells
    • 1 pound chorizo Bulk, cooked.
    • 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated
    • 15 ounces refried beans canned, or about 1 ½ cups homemade refried heans
    • 2 avocados smashed
    • 1 cup salsa
    • ½ cup Mexican queso cheese

    Instructions

    • To make homemade tostada shells in oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of tortillas with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and a dusting of chile powder. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes, flip, add more salt and chile powder and bake for additional 3-5 minutes. Or until the shells are crispy. Once tortillas are done baking, begin to assemble tostadas. Oven baked tostada shells are best served right out of the oven, so while tortillas are baking make sure all toppings are ready to go.
    • How to make tostada shells stovetop: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in an 8 inch skillet over high heat until it bubbles vigorously when the edge of the corn tortilla touches it's surface.Fry 1 tortilla at a time, turning once using tongs. Fry until it's crispy, puffed in places and deeply golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the tostada to to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Repeat wit the remaining tortillas.A cup of oil will make about 8 tostada shells.
    • In a fry pan, cook the chorizo until nice and crispy and cooked through.
    • For The Beans: Place beans in a microwave safe dish. Gently heat. Set aside and keep warm.
    • Grate the cheese and set aside.
    • Build that Tostada: Spread each tortilla with 2 – 3 tablespoons of refried beans. Top each tostada with about ¼ cup of grated cheese. Carefully add the cooked chorizo to the top of the cheese.
    • Bake the tostadas in the 400 degree oven until the cheese is nice and melted. All oven vary, but this should take less than 5 minutes.
    • Toppings: Smashed avocado or guacamole. Rings of fresh jalapeno pepper, or pickled jalapeno slices. A dollop of sour cream, or crumbled cotija cheese.

    Notes

    Use store bought tostada shells if you don’t want to make your own.
    Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience.
    Variations
    • Soft and Creamy: Replace refried beans with black beans or pinto beans that have been drained and warmed.
    • Protein: Cooked and seasoned ground chicken, ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning. A stewed saucy meat is a good candidate for staying on that shell while eating. Try a Beef Machaca tostada. Want to keep it vegetarian? Omit the meat and just enjoy a bean, cheese, avocado tostada.
    • Cheese: Use any cheese that will melt well. Monterey Jack, Muenster and Pepper Jack will work well here.
    • Add some acid: I’ve gotten in the habit of serving any Mexican recipe with a wedge of lime. A quick squeeze will send it over the top with brightness. Another option is a dollop of your favorite salsa. Or Pico de Gallo is also a great choice.
    • Topping: If you want, add a dollop of guacamole in place of the smashed avocado. A spoon full of sour cream, or Mexican Crema is also a good choice.
    • What To Avoid: Tostadas are always a bit messy, but you don’t want it’s entire contents to fall off. Avoid chopped avocado, big chunks of meat, or large pieces of lettuce. If you want to add lettuce or cabbage, make sure it’s very finely chopped.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 2033mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 381mg | Iron: 3mg

    This post was originally published January of 2013 and updated July, 2022.

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    I'm Lea Ann

    Welcome to my Colorado kitchen. If you're a fan of rustic homestyle cuisine, you've come to the right place. I'm a Culinary School Grad with a passion to inspire you to cook as often as you can. I offer reliable, approachable and easy to follow recipes. So grab that skillet and let's cook.

    More about me
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