Chicken & Poblano Tostadas

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, then halve crosswise. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the pepper, then medium dice. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Grate the Monterey Jack cheese on the large side of a box grater. Crumble the queso blanco. Quarter the lime. In a bowl, combine the crema and the juice of 2 lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place the zucchini pieces on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 13 to 15 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven. Reserving the sheet pan, transfer the roasted zucchini to a plate; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

While the zucchini roasts, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken; cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board. Carefully chop into small pieces. 

Add the diced pepper to the pan of reserved fond; season with salt and pepper (if the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil). Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions and all but a pinch of the spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated. Add 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Add the chopped chicken and the juice of 1 lime wedge. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. 

While the sauce cooks, place the tortillas on the same sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and turn to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Toast in the oven 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven and carefully top with the grated Monterey Jack cheese. Continue to toast 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven. 

Assemble the tostadas using the toasted tortillas, finished chicken and sauce, and lime crema. Top the roasted zucchini with the remaining spice blend and the juice of the remaining lime wedge. Serve the tostadas with the finished zucchini on the side. Garnish with the crumbed queso blanco and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!