Chicken, Black Bean & Rice Tostadas

For months I have pondered how to make crispy corn tortillas without deep fat frying them. When I check out the packages of them in the stores, the ingredient list makes me cringe, so I was determined to make my own. It makes me laugh at how easy they were to make in my own kitchen. Simply, lightly spray each side with cooking spray. I use organic olive oil spray.

Place in 350 oven for 5-8 minutes or until crispy and starting to brown. Remove from heat and cool.

Next prepare brown rice according to package instructions. (amount will depend on how many are eating, I make extra and freeze some)  While rice is cooking, sauté one medium white onion and 2 garlic cloves minced. Add 1 can of drained black beans, one can of chopped  green chilies and 1/4 c. chopped cilantro. Squeeze the juice of one lime over mixture and stir in.

When rice is done, stir in bean mixture.

Boil, grill or bake 2 boneless chicken breasts. (or pick up rotisserie chicken at supermarket!) Slice into bite size pieces.

Slice up one cup of cherry tomatoes, or chopped whole fresh tomatoes.

Prepare tostado by spooning a rice layer over shell, followed by sliced chicken, tomatoes, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and garnished with fresh cilantro. Serve with salsa if desired.

This is a great way to stretch your meat dollar. You are picking up extra protein with the black beans and Greek yogurt. Brown rice is a healthy high fiber whole grain. The  shells, are also a whole grain and crisping them  makes it easy to pick them up and eat like a slice of pizza.

If you desire you could also garnish with shredded lettuce and cheese.

I made extra shells and stored them in a plastic zipper bag. The rice mixture also freezes well, so if you are short on time, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken making for a quick dinner.