Chicken Tinga Tostadas

This is one of my easiest and highest-protein meals that I eat when I want to feel like I'm not eating "meal prep."

Mexican food is one of my favorites and sometimes it can be so tempting to blow the diet and just indulge in the "real thing", but this recipe is probably half the calories for double the food. Being on a fitness journey means working smarter, not harder, and that includes recipes like this, where you're maximizing intake with a smaller macronutrient and caloric profile.

This one is definitely higher in calories because I did not hit my macronutrients during the day and had to eat a bigger meal to compensate for it (don't be like me and do this), but if you adjust to your own caloric needs, it is still a fantastic recipe to have on hand during the week.

MACROS:

CALORIES: 715 calories

PROTEIN: 71.3 grams

CARBOHYDRATES: 75.6 grams

FAT: 19.3 grams

INGREDIENTS:

- 5 ounces pulled chicken tenderloins, weighed cooked

- 5 corn tortillas

- 155 grams fat-free refried beans

- 55 grams mashed avocado

- 34 grams reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar

- 60 grams nonfat plain greek yogurt

- lettuce, tomato, and salsa

DIRECTIONS:

1. For directions on how to prepare the crockpot chicken tinga, see my recipe for it under "Crockpot Chicken Tinga."

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. On a lined baking tray, place your tortillas with a little cooking spray and sprinkle of salt. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes or until it's as crunchy as a tostada.

4. Once your tostadas are done, add your reheated refried beans, shredded chicken and shredded cheese evenly across the five tostadas. You can spread the avocado and yogurt on the bottom of the tostadas before baking, but I prefer those ingredients to go on cold.

5. After about 2-3 minutes under the broiler when the cheese is all melty, it's time to assemble: tostada with chicken, beans, and cheese, yogurt, mashed avocado, lettuce, tomato, and a little teaspoon of fresh hot salsa. And enjoy! :)