Frugal Foodie: South of the Border

Summer is a perfect time for Mexican food.

Steal a little south-of-the-border inspiration from Glencoe restaurant Guanajuato's, 73 Green Bay Rd., with tostadas for a simple but flavorful meal.

Our favorite (and inexpensive) way to prepare the chicken for this recipe is to roast a whole chicken and shred as much as you need. The rest can be stored in the refridgerator and used for other meals.

Chicken by the numbers:

: 1 chicken tostada, $4.50

: Perdue frozen roaster chicken, $1.99

Whole Foods: Air-chilled roasting chicken, $1.99 (If you're in a hurry and don't have time to roast your own chicken, Whole Foods carries whole rotisserie chickens for $7.99 each).

What you'll need:

Crispy Tortillas
Vegetable oil for frying
6 white corn tortillas
Kosher salt for sprinkling

Chicken
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tostadas
Refried beans, warmed
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored and shredded
1 Hass avocado, thinly sliced or guacamole, recipe follows
2 cups salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1 scallion, thinly sliced
12 fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Directions

To make the tortillas: Pour the oil for frying into a large heavy-bottom pot to a depth of about 2 inches. Place over medium heat and heat to 375 degrees F. Add the tortillas, one at a time, and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined pan and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

To make the chicken: In a small bowl, mix together the chicken, lime juice, oil, coriander, and salt and season with pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

To assemble the tostadas: Preheat the broiler. Spread the beans evenly over one side of each tortilla and sprinkle with some of the cheese. Transfer to a baking sheet and broil until the cheese is lightly browned and melted, about 30 seconds. Divide the tortillas among 6 plates.

Evenly mound the chicken on each tortilla and top with the lettuce. Top each tostada with avocado, salsa, and a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with the scallion and garnish the tostada with the coriander leaves. Serve immediately.