Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema
Kind of a cross between crunchy tostadas and cheesy quesadillas...easy to make and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken beef or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- crema, avocado, cabbage, and cilantro. for serving (see notes)
Tostada Shells
- 12 corn tortillas
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
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!
Recipe 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.
Our Favorite Recipes
Oven Baked Tuscan Fries.
will be making this soon with few subs i never had tostadadillas before as am a vegan will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Hope you love the recipe Ramya! xTieghan
Am I missing where the cooked ground meat goes on the tostadilla in the recipe?
Hey Dee,
Sorry for the confusion, you will do this in step 5. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
When do you add chicken
Hey Ann,
You are going to add the chicken in step 5, when is says “plate each tostadadilla”. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These look INSANE! All my favorite flavors in one dish.
xo Jessica
an indigo day
Thanks so much Jessica!! xTieghan
Delicious to the millionth degree!!!! My family loved this so much!
Hey Melissa,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
ha, this is great, careful that Taco Bell doesn’t try to steal it! Definitely fun, another one to save for my weekend cheat day, these are the kind of foods that I crave most on that day, namely crispy tortillas and cheese, thank you!
Thanks so much Sabrina! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them! We get so bored with the same ole dinners all the time!
I hope you love the recipe Tanya! xTieghan
Can’t wait to try this? Do you think it would work with flour tortillas?!
Hey Megan,
I would recommend sticking with the corn tortillas, the flour ones won’t give the crunch you are looking for here. I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan
What cheeses are in the Mexican blend? Did you buy it already shredded or did you grate it yourself? Thanks!
Hey Wendy,
I also grate my cheese:) I used a mix of cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi what would be a good substitute for smoked paprika? Regular paprika? I’m not a fan of the smoky flavor.
Hey Julie,
Yes, regular paprika will work just fine here! I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
what kind of cabbage is on the top? pickled cabbage? i can never find some that is slightly sweet and acidic!!
Hey Hillary,
Yes, I used some cabbage as my garnish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
wait! no! i mean pickled onion? is it pickled onion?! oh geez i should really double check before hitting publish. the purple things on top!
Yes!! It is pickled onion, here is the recipe:
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/quick-pickled-veggies/
Just made this tonight and wow, so good! We used flour and corn/flour blend tortillas, worked really well. This will be my go to recipe for taco meat. Amazing!
Hey Natalie,
Awesome, I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Delicious!
I did use flour tortillas. Grilled on stove top grill
after brushing with olive oil and spices then into the oven. That made them crunchy. I also added scallions with the cheese since I didn’t have chives. Didn’t have poblanos so used red, green and a bit of habanero pepper and only used 1 tsp of smoked paprika. Amazing flavors. Love the cabbage crunch on top and the easy crema!
Hey Joanne,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
SO delicious and easy!! I stacked mine differently to make it less messy to eat. Tortilla, cheese, chicken, cheese, tortilla, then more cheese. Put it back in the oven until the cheese melts, then top it off with avocado smash and crema. This will be on our regular rotation! Thanks Tieghan!! ❤️
Hey Debra,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made these tonight and after my husband finished one he said “these are so f@$-?./: good!” They were delish!
– Q: my tortillas could’ve been more crisp: less oil, more time or both?
Hey Jenna,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! What kind of tortillas did you use? I would say more time in the oven. xTieghan
This recipe is incredibly aAMAZING! Need to make it!
Miki x
https://www.littletasteofbeauty.com/
Thanks!
Made these last night & while they were so good, I would like to get the tortilla part just right. Did you oil both sides of the tortilla? I did & then baked them. As soon as they came out, I put the seasoning & cheese on & threw them back in. Should I have let them sit for a bit with just the seasoning before topping with cheese? They didn’t seem to get super crisp, just kind of chewy?
Hey Marcie,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Sorry about the tortillas, what kind of shells did you use? Have the best weekend☀️ xTieghan
These were absolutely delicious! I used ground turkey and omitted the poblano pepper – the meat was still super flavourful. It made a ton of cool ranch seasoning, so I didn’t use it all and put the rest in a ziplock bag to use for next time. I used regular cheddar cheese and topped with cabbage. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hey Lauren,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Sunday! xTieghan
What would be a good substitute for dried chives? Couldn’t find them at the store 🙁
Hey Beth,
You could use fresh chives! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I was too lazy to make the tostadilla part so I warmed tortilla chips in the oven, sprinkled them with the seasoning, topped with lots of cheese, put it back in the oven until the cheese melted. Then, I took everything from the oven and topped it with the meat, crema, and mashed avocado. It was so tasty!! 😊
Hey Carrie,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
So easy and so great!! Didn’t add avocado but loved the crema!
Hey there,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
I made this tonight and was great! The honey lime crema put it over the top!
Hey Joyce,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
These were AMAZING!!! The seasoning for the shells really takes these to the next level! I questioned the dill but followed the recipe as is and was so happy I did. My 9 year old requested this recipe be added to the regular dinner rotation.
Hey Erin,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
Overall I LOVED these 🙌🏻 I’m honestly not a huge tostada fan, but these looked too good to pass up and I love that you just make your own with corn tortillas. Amazing. I used Isabel Eats’ tostada directions, since with my oven I never get the crunch I want with an olive oil rub. I also seasoned both sides of the tostadas with the seasoning mix, and I felt like it was seasoning overload (and I’m an over-seasoner in general haha). Next time I’ll go lighter on the amount of seasoning I use, or just season one side of the tostadas (maybe that was what I was supposed to do haha). But again overall what an amazing combo of flavors and textures! The lime crema really brought it all home, especially on my overly savory version 🙂 another winner!
Hey Sammie,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
My roommate has followed you for a while and she keeps telling me I love all the recipes from you. Last Monday, she said she was cooking another one of your recipes, this one. This sounds super dramatic but I took one bite said I love that blogger and continued to enjoy one of the best fun meals I’ve had in a long time.
Thanks for sparking some joy. I loved this meal. It provided flavor and laughs.
Hey Christy,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Made these today for dinner and they are SO GOOD. Such a fun dinner!
Hey Holly,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! ☘️ xTieghan
I enjoyed this recipe and the flavors. I wasn’t able to get my tortillas to crisp enough but everything was still tasty. I also made mine with ground turkey.
Hey Cara,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! ☘️ xTieghan
My daughter made this the other night, they turned out amazing! Definitely a repeat recipe.
Hey Neomi,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday🌷 xTieghan
I’ve been eager to make these ever since I saw the recipe, but didn’t get around to it until today. These are delicious! It has a perfect blend of spices and flavors, like all your recipes! Thank you for sharing all your recipes.
Hey Crystal,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Yum and fun for a Monday night. Thanks for another winner!
Hey Suzanne,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed.🌷 xTieghan
These were really, good. I am loving so many of your recipes Tieghan :). I made the Honey Lime Crema with coconut milk.
Hey Maria,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed.🌷 xTieghan
This was amazing for dinner. But you have to make the lime cream and mashed avocados they make the whole dish.
Hey Emily,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this yesterday using ground beef and it was delicious! We garnished with the crema, avocado, cabbage, and cilantro. Also had home made salsa and a corn & black bean relish.
Hey Andrea,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This was too salty for me. The tostadillas were also difficult to eat and very chewy. This is the first time I’ve been disappointed with one of HBH recipes 🙁
Hey Katie,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
This recipe was so easy and delicious!! The honey-lime crema perfectly complimented the meal. 5 stars for sure!!
Hey Erin,
Awesome! So glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Here for it. Had extra ranch seasoning and I want to put it on dips, pretzels and avocado toast
Hey Dana,
I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! 💕Tieghan
I would have to experiment more. My corn tortillas came out tough. Where was the crunch?
Hey Sue,
Sorry to hear this. What kind of tortillas did you use? xTieghan
What size tortilla shells did you use?
Hey Kylie,
I used 6 inch shells. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Excellent recipe. Easy to pull together, tasted great, we truly enjoyed it. It was challenging to eat – you have to commit to it and just pick it up and get it everywhere! But that’s part of what makes it good!
Hey Shannon,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Oh my gosh, made this tonight for our taco Tuesday and it was fabulous! Whole family loved it!
Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
Hey Antonella,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xTieghan
Totally forgot to take picture! I made a half recipe for just the two. of us…it was perfect! The husband doesn’t like messy foods some ate it with a fork! hahaha! I….got it all over myself! for some reason I thought the mashed avocado was going in the Crema…so it did and ws absolutely delicious! will make it again…at the husbands request. Don’t wear a white shirt
Hey LuEllen,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xTieghan
Chicken and peppers mix was bomb! Such good flavor. I was also in the chewy tostadilla crowd. Used 6 inch yellow corn. Sad because tha’ts the part I was most excited for. Will attempt again maybe in the crunch wrap supreme method. Now that was a huge family favorite! Keep up the good work. Yours in food love, Kaitlyn
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try Kaitlyn! xTieghan
We’ve made these multiple times and they are fantastic! Always a win when these are on the menu!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Ok T. Made this for me and my 93 year old mom. She loved it, I loved it! Are you kidding me??? So fresh. Absolutely delish. I’m gonna have this in my rotation for sure! Thanks for all your hard work and sharing with all of us. You are blessing…. hugs to you!
Hey Karla,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Just made these. No words absolutely ridiculously delicious! Thanks again for all you recipes.
Hey Anita,
Wonderful!! I am so so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
I just made this for lunch — I thought it was delicious. I’ve been working the Noom program, so I used street tacos instead of regular corn tortillas. The chicken was delicious, the home made seasonings were spot on, and the avocado and lime crema were the perfect combination. Loved it.
Hey Jan,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan
Absolutely fantastic!! This is going in to regular rotation at my house. I added thinly sliced radishes sprinkled with Tajin and a bit of lime juice as a topping, extra yum!!
Hey Helen,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan
So. Freaking. Good! Will be a staple at my household from now on
Hey Rebecca,
Thanks so much! I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Made these for my husband and I (I am not the cook in the house) and they came out so good! My husband was very Impressed with me. Flavors were great! Only thing I need to work on is the shells. It was a little hard to cut/bite into. Not sure if I needed to use more cheese or try flour tortillas and not corn next time.
Hey there,
Fantastic! I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Absolutely incredible. I didn’t even have half the things called for, I used chicken breasts and a packet of taco seasoning for the meat, didn’t get around to making the Crema (next time!!!), but I DID make the tortilla shell seasoning and holy smokes… that stuff tastes exactly like Doritos Cool Ranch!
I will make this every week as long as I live. 🙌
Hey Laura,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this last night for my brothers birthday and he LOVED it and so did I. I will never buy packaged taco seasoning mix again!! I had never tried smoked paprika but I think this put the recipe over the top. I used turkey and followed the recipe exactly. Next time I will make the pickled onions and add them as a garnish.
Thanks!!
Hey Julie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a fantastic week! xTieghan
This is SO good. It took the exact amount of time listed and was very satisfying – all the spice! The only part I couldn’t nail was getting the tortilla to be crunchy instead of tough in the middle but will try again on the next go. Will definitely be making again.
Hey Briar,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
This was amazing. We did as is with ground turkey. I really loved how you suggested cooking the veggies with the meat instead of separately. Bravo!
Hey Katie,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Hi! I’m planning on making this tomorrow night for dinner. I scoured my grocery store today but they were all out of both fresh and dried dill! I couldn’t believe it. Do you have any suggestions for a substitution/will the recipe be okay if we can’t find dill in time? So excited to try this!
Hey Allie,
I would just add extra of the other herbs you are using, should be just fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
This was delish!!! Thanks!
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan