Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Drain and rinse the beans. Halve the tomatoes. Halve the radishes lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Zest the lime to get 1 teaspoon (if you don’t have a zester, use a peeler to remove the green rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind). Halve the lime crosswise. In a bowl, combine the halved tomatoes, sliced radishes, lime zest, and the juice of 1 lime half. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes.

While the salsa marinates, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the beans and 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and mashing the beans with the back of a spoon, 5 to 6 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat; stir in the juice of the remaining lime half. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

While the beans cook, in a bowl, combine the sugar, 1 tablespoon of warm water, and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. 

Place the tortillas on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Toast in the oven 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Remove from the oven.

While the tortillas toast, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Assemble the tostadas using the toasted tortillas, cooked beans, cooked chicken, and salsa. Serve the tostadas garnished with the cheese and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!