These Vietnamese Chicken Tostadas puts a fun spin on traditional tostadas, with marinated chicken packed with lime, fish sauce, and aromatics. Served on crispy rice paper and topped with a vibrant and unique Vietnamese pico de gallo, they’re a bold and flavorful fusion you’ll want to make on repeat!
This is what you get when you combine my love for Mexican food with my Vietnamese roots: Vietnamese chicken tostadas! These are built like a tostada but are packed with Vietnamese flavors. It all starts with a crispy rice paper as our tostada, topped with Fish sauce chicken and a Vietnamese "pico de gallo" which adds brightness and extra texture.
You can serve Vietnamese chicken tostadas as an appetizer for a crowd, as a light lunch option, or as a satisfying afternoon snack. No matter how you serve them, this Vietnamese chicken tostada recipe is going to become your new favorite!
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Ingredients
For the Marinade
- Red Boat Fish Sauce: Fish sauce contributes an umami depth that forms the backbone of Vietnamese flavor!
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds brightness and helps tenderize the chicken.
- Shallot & Garlic Cloves: Both shallots and fresh garlic add a savory depth to the chicken.
- Brown Sugar: To balance out the flavors and help the chicken caramelize beautifully in the pan!
- Thai Chili: For a hint of spice!
- Chicken Thighs: Use skinless, boneless chicken thighs here.
For the Vietnamese Pico De Gallo
- Onion: For a bite that balances out the sweetness of the carrot.
- Carrot: Adds natural sweetness, vibrant color, and crisp texture!
- Cilantro: This herb is non-negotiable for authentic flavor—its bright, citrusy notes tie everything together.
- Lime: Adds acidity that "cooks" the vegetables slightly and brightens the entire dish!
- Salt: To taste. Keep in mind that the fish sauce has salt too!
- Red Boat Fish Sauce: Adds just a touch of umami flavor.
- Garlic: For a depth of savory flavor.
To Assemble
- Rice Paper: Quarter the rice paper before frying it for the perfect size!
- Cilantro: Top the tostadas off with fresh cilantro, if desired.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vietnamese Style Chicken Tostadas
Step 1: In a food processor, pulse together Red Boat Fish Sauce, lime juice, a shallot, garlic cloves, brown sugar, and a Thai chili. To a bowl, add the chicken thighs and marinade and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: To a pan, add some oil and cook the chicken on one side until caramelized, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove it from the pan and allow it to rest.
Step 3: To a bowl, toss together onion, carrot, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt and Red Boat Fish Sauce. Season more as needed and set aside.
Step 4: To a pan over medium heat, add neutral oil. Once the oil reaches 350F, add the quartered rice paper and fry until crispy, about 10 seconds. Remove the rice paper and drain on a paper towel.
Step 5: Shred the chicken and toss it in any drippings that accumulated when the chicken was resting. Add it to the rice paper and top it with the Vietnamese pico de gallo. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Top Tips
- Marinate longer for deeper flavor. While 30 minutes will work well, allowing the chicken to marinate for 2-4 hours or even overnight will result in more flavorful, tender meat!
- Watch the rice paper carefully when frying. These delicate wrappers go from perfectly crisp to burnt in seconds, so make sure to pay attention and be ready to remove them quickly from the hot oil.
- Make separate components in advance. To prep ahead of time, you can definitely make each of the components ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you are ready to fry the rice paper and assemble!
Variations & Substitutions
- Protein: While chicken thighs are great here, this recipe works well with chicken breast too. You can also try it with pork shoulder, shrimp, or even firm tofu for a vegetarian version. During the summertime, you can grill the chicken instead of searing it for added flavor!
- Heat Level: Adjust the spice by varying the amount of Thai chili—use just half for milder flavor or add an extra for more spice.
- Gluten-Free Option: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but always double-check your fish sauce brand to ensure there are no gluten-containing additives.
Storage
These tostadas are best enjoyed immediately after assembly, as the crispy rice paper will begin to soften once topped with the moist ingredients. However, you can prepare all components separately and store them as follows:
- Fried Rice Paper: Store at room temperature in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture for up to 24 hours.
- Cooked Chicken: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to prevent drying out.
- Pico de Gallo: Keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, though the vegetables will soften and release more liquid over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Simply remove the seeds and membranes from the Thai chili before adding it to the marinade, or omit it entirely for a completely mild version.
Any neutral oil with a high smoke point works well—vegetable, canola, peanut or rice bran oil are all excellent choices that won't impart additional flavors.
More Vietnamese-Inspired Recipes to Try
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef
- Vietnamese Garlic Noodles
- Lemongrass Beef Stew
- Hasselback Potatoes with Fish Sauce Butter
- Beef Banh Mi
Vietnamese Chicken Tostada Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken marinade
- ¼ cup Red Boat Fish Sauce
- Juice of 1 lime about 2 tbsp
- 1 medium shallot
- 4-5 large garlic cloves
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 Thai chili
- 1 ½ lbs chicken thighs
Vietnamese pico de gallo
- ½ medium onion diced
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 1 bunch of cilantro minced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt plus more as needed
- ⅛ teaspoon Red Boat Fish Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
For assembling
- Rice paper quartered
- Cilantro leaves for garnishing
Instructions
To make the marinade:
- In a food processor, pulse together Red Boat Fish Sauce, lime juice, a shallot, garlic cloves, brown sugar, and a Thai chili. To a bowl, add the chicken thighs and marinade and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- To a pan, add some oil and cook the chicken on one side until caramelized, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove it from the pan and allow it to rest.
To make the pico de gallo:
- To a bowl, toss together onion, carrot, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt and Red Boat Fish Sauce. Season more as needed and set aside.
To fry the rice paper:
- To a pan over medium heat, add neutral oil. Once the oil reaches 350F, add the quartered rice paper and fry until crispy, about 10 seconds. Remove the rice paper and drain on a paper towel.
To assemble:
- Shred the chicken and toss it in any drippings that accumulated when the chicken was resting. Add it to the rice paper and top it with the Vietnamese pico de gallo. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Notes
- Fried Rice Paper: Store at room temperature in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture for up to 24 hours.
- Cooked Chicken: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to prevent drying out.
- Pico de Gallo: Keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, though the vegetables will soften and release more liquid over time.
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