Tlayuda Mixta Oaxaqueña (Oaxacan Giant Crispy Tostada)
A huge crisp tortilla spread with refried beans, topped with chorizo, chicken, cheese and crunchy salad, a street food favourite from Oaxaca.
Made with Refried beans (frijoles refritos) and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado) and Homemade Mexican chorizo. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.66 a head
- Oven220°C (200°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Lay the two large tortillas on baking trays, brush lightly with the oil and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until stiff and crisp, turning once.
7 min - 2
Meanwhile, fry the homemade Mexican chorizo (see the base recipe) in a pan for 5 minutes until cooked through and crumbly. Add the pollo deshebrado (see the base recipe) and 2 tablespoons of water and warm for 3 minutes until steaming hot.
5 min - 3
Warm the refried beans (see the base recipe) in a small pan with a splash of water until loose enough to spread.
- 4
Spread the beans over the crisp tortillas, leaving a 2 cm rim. Scatter over the grated mozzarella and the chorizo and chicken.
- 5
Return to the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
5 min - 6
Toss the cabbage with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Top the tlayudas with the cabbage, tomato and avocado and serve straight away, folded or cut into wedges.
Tips
- Bake the tortillas until properly crisp or the bean layer will turn them soft. A rack lets air reach the base.
- Use real quesillo (Oaxaca cheese) if you can buy it. Otherwise mozzarella melts in the same stringy way.
- Serve with a hot salsa on the side. In Oaxaca a smoky chile pasilla salsa is traditional.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Keep the toppings separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and re-crisp a fresh tortilla.
Questions
Can I make a tlayuda with corn tortillas?
Yes. Use four large corn tortillas or tostadas instead and crisp them the same way. They stay gluten free.
What is a tlayuda?
A tlayuda is a large, thin, crisp tortilla from Oaxaca, spread with beans and topped with meat, cheese and salad. It is eaten folded or cut up like a pizza.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Leave out the chicken and chorizo. The refried beans, cheese and salad make a good vegetarian tlayuda, but this recipe as written contains meat.
More made with refried beans (frijoles refritos)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.