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Switching things up with these fun Cool Ranch Chicken “Tostadadillas” with Honey Lime Crema. Homemade cool ranch tostada shells sandwiched with cheese, then oven-baked to create a “tostadadilla” – kind of a cross between crunchy tostadas and cheesy quesadillas. Top each tostadadilla with ground chicken seasoned with Mexican spices, shredded lettuce, and creamy honey lime crema. Just the right amount of melty cheese and CRUNCH with every bite. They’re easy to make and are so DELICIOUS.

overhead photo of Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas pulled apart to see the cheese

Well, aren’t these are fun…I just felt like our Monday could use a little fun, you know?

I’ve been planning on sharing these for a while. And when I say a while, I really mean just a couple of weeks, but for me, that is a while. I don’t plan out recipes very far in advance because I love to share things with you guys RIGHT AWAY. If I hold onto a recipe concept too long, there’s a good chance that by the time I go to make it, I’ll have convinced myself it’s a bad idea. So in general, if I’m excited about something, I make it while I’m still excited and share it almost immediately after photographing it.

I would have made them sooner, but the timing just worked out this way.

So here we are. Let me introduce you guys to a tostada-dilla. A cross between a crispy tostada and an extra cheesy quesadilla.

photo of seasoned ground chicken in skillet

The idea.

Honestly, I don’t know when, how, or why I thought this up. It’s not some genius idea by any means, but man these sure are a delicious twist on tostadas.

I guess to me, a regular old tostada just seems a little boring, I would very much rather eat a crunchy, cheesy taco. I love when foods have lots of flavor, layers of texture, multiple sauces, and yeah…cheese too.

When my brother Creighton suggested I make beef tostadas, I quickly said no, those sound boring. But then I thought about how I might improve upon the classic tostada, and somewhere along the way, these tosatadillas were born. They’re all things, crunchy, crispy, cheesy, creamy, and spicy. And the added bonus? Even though the ingredients list looks long (it’s all just dry spices), these are easy to throw together.

overhead prep photo of cool ranch seasoning

The details.

Start with the meat, I used ground chicken, but beef would be equally great. I seasoned it up pretty simply by adding in lots of smoky poblano peppers and a touch of tomato paste for a nice twist on the usual.

I like to start with cooking the meat, and while that’s simmering away, I make the “cool ranch” tostada shells.

overhead pre photo so cool ranch Tostadas

The “cool ranch” tostada shells.

These tostada shells are truly something special. I’m really into making homemade seasonings right now, so I created a homemade mix for the cool ranch Doritos seasoning and put it on my tostadas. It’s so simple. It’s really just a mix of those dry ranch spices and herbs, along with paprika, chili powder, and a little grated cheese.

Bake the tostada shells until crispy, then sprinkle over the seasoning mix. The tostadas alone are reason enough to make these. They’re crispy, crunchy, and so perfectly seasoned.

I read a little about what’s in cool ranch Doritos. And while this isn’t the exact same mix, it is very similar. And the tomato paste used with the chicken brings in that tomato powder that’s used on the classic cool ranch Dorito.

PS. I don’t know what’s up with my weird desire to want to remake store-bought favorites, but I’m having fun with it.

overhead photo of Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema

Ok, now we assemble.

Layer the cheese between the tostadas and then bake them in the oven until the cheese is nice and melty. Now you have a tostada-dilla. Yes, I made the word up, but it does kind of work…right?

Anyway, while the tostadadillas are baking, gather all your toppings. I like to do a little smashed avocado and honey-lime crema as my sauce.

As soon as the tostadadillas come out of the oven, layer them up while they’re still nice and melty. Avocado, saucy seasoned-up chicken, then a little shredded cabbage or lettuce, jalapeños, and a sprinkling of cilantro. Then drizzle over that crema sauce and finish with a squeeze of lime…

And now they’re stacked and ready for enjoying.

side angled close up photo of Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema

I really do think you’ll enjoy every last crispy-crunchy bite. The chicken is a little spicy, but the crema cools things down a bit. And that cool ranch seasoning blend just seals the deal.

When everything is combined all together you have the perfect stack of fun Mexican-style food. These are really pretty hard to beat. And my family? Well, they’ve all agreed that these might just be a new favorite…the cheesy tostadadilla that got everyone! They really are extra special.

Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with cheese pulled apart

Looking for other fun Mexican night recipes? Here are some favorites:

Breakfast Quesadilla with Soft Scrambled Eggs and Avocado Salsa

Crispy Chicken Tinga Taquitos with Salty Lime Avocado Crema

Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas with Lime Smashed Avocado

Lastly, if you make this Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 522 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Tostada Shells

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
    2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground meat, onion, and poblano pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the chicken, about 10 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.
    3. Meanwhile, make the tostadas. Line the corn tortillas up on 2 baking sheets and rub lightly with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake 7 minutes, until crisp. In a small bowl, combine the parsley, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, chives, dill, and 1 teaspoon salt. While warm, sprinkle the "cool ranch" seasoning blend over each tostada.
    4. To make the tostadillas. Evenly divide the Mexican cheese blend between half the tostadas, then place the remaining tostada shells directly on the cheese. Bake 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
    5. To assemble, plate each tostadilla and top evenly with mashed avocado and chicken. Top as desired with cabbage, jalapeños, and cilantro. Dollop over the crema. Break 'em up and enjoy!

Notes

Honey Lime Crema: In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, 1-2 teaspoons honey, the zest of 1 lime, and a pinch of sea salt. 
Lime Mashed Avocado: In a bowl, lightly smash 2 avocados. Add the zest and juice of 1 lime and a pinch of sea salt. 
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Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    We loved these! The cool ranch seasoning really elevated the overall taste. The seasoning for the meat was such a great combo. I used ground turkey breast because I had it on hand, and the final simmer made it tender and delicious. Although it had no impact on the flavor, our tostadas were more chewy instead of crunchy—I followed the instructions exactly but perhaps I should have let them crisp a couple of minutes longer for my oven. Love, love the Crema!

    Reply

    1. Hi Lucy,
      I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Sorry to hear about the crunch factor! ☀️ xTieghan

      Reply

  2. I make this at least once a week snd we are obsesssedddddddd ! We chop up cherry tomatos and put them on top for an extra bit of veg 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hey Jody,
      Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have the best week:) xT

      Reply

    1. Hi Gayla,
      Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Omg! These are so good. I cheated and got premade tostadas from aldi and I’m so glad I did. I followed everything else exactly and used ground chicken and it was delicious! DO NOT skip the honey lime cream and lime mashed avocado! They really make the dish!

    Reply

    1. Hi Danielle,
      Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I’ve never purchased ground chicken, but everything about this recipe was perfect! Loved the flavors and will be making again! My husband’s only complaint was that they were messy to eat.

    Reply

    1. Hi Tyra,
      Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT

      Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Made a vegetarian hack of this yummy recipe, so good! I did not use these spices, though did brush the tortillas with olive oil & sprinkle them with cumin, garlic powder, and a dash of seasoned salt before baking. Though we liked to be able to pick these up, would also be good as baked quesadillas (baking once, not twice.) Instead of meat, I sauteed vidalia onions, red peppers, and heated up some refried black beans. Instead of honey-lime crema, I swirled a few drops of agave and squeeze of lime into sour cream. Other toppings included pickled jalapenos, chopped cilantro, crunchy lettuce, and salsa. Will definitely make again! Thanks for this fantastic idea, family loved, and picky child could create her own 😉

    Reply

    1. Hey Tara,
      Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! Thanks for sharing what works well for you. xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hi Brooke,
      So sorry, I don’t, I only have the estimated calorie count available. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe!! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    Delicious and easy! The honey lime crema was my favorite part, I could eat that by itself. I used 1 tsp of honey and zest of just half a lime for the crema and it came out perfect.

    Reply

    1. Hi Christina,
      Wonderful! I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hi Courtney,
      I really appreciate you giving the recipe a try, so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xxT

      Reply

  12. 5 stars
    These were so good that I made them 2 days in a row. Made the recipe exactly as written the first time. Second time I substituted tostadas instead of baking the tortillas. Absolutely delicious!

    Reply

    1. Hi Bonnie,
      Fantastic! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!? xx

      Reply

  13. 5 stars
    These were terrific (my teenage boys loved them!) and the recipe feeds a good crowd, so it can be a good big family dinner recipe.

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    We had these for dinner last night, and they were delicious! The cool ranch flavor is spot on! I deviated slightly from the recipe and sandwiched the meat and cheese in between the tortillas. I didn’t bake my tortillas long enough, so they were a bit chewy. But for lunch today I reheated a leftover tostadilla in the air fryer and it came out perfectly crispy. What a fun recipe!

    Reply

    1. Hey Coby,
      Happy Friday! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan

      Reply