Shelly's Recipe

Southwest Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad

Category: Salad

serves 4 as a main course, six as a light meal

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Southwest Chipotle Ranch Dressing (recipe follows)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper, cored and sliced in half
1 large red onion peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (do not separate rings)
2 ears of corn, husked
Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 avocados, cut into cubes
2-3 hearts of Romaine lettuce, torn or roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish

Fried corn tortilla strips (recipe follows)
Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
Southwest Chipotle Ranch Dressing

For the Corn Tortilla Strips
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 inch strips (cut large strips in half)

For the Salad
In a resealable plastic bag, combine the chicken breast and 1/4 cup of the dressing. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly oil the cooking grates and grill the chicken until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the grill and cover lightly with a sheet of aluminum foil; let rest for at least 20 minutes. Maintain grill temperature. (Chicken can be made up to 1 day in advance.)

Place the red pepper, corn, and red onion on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes total. Remove from the heat and place on the baking sheet to cool to room temperature.

Chop the red bell pepper and onion into a small dice and remove the corn kernels from the cob. Add the vegetables to a bowl along with the black beans and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning; set aside. Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside.

When ready to serve, divide the lettuce between the plates/bowls. Top the lettuce with the vegetable mixture, diced chicken, and avocado. Garnish with the tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve with the Southwest Chipotle Ranch Dressing.

For the Corn Tortilla Strips
Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a large fry pot to 350º F. Add a handful of the tortilla strips to the hot oil. Use metal tongs to keep them from sticking together. Fry until golden and crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet and immediately season with kosher salt. Continue with the remaining strips.

outhwest Chipotle Ranch Dressing
makes about 1 1/4 cup

2 Tablespoons chopped green onions, 1-2 onions depending on the size

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 small garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream, full fat or light
1/4 cup fire-roasted salsa
1 Tablespoon adobo sauce
2 Tablespoons ketchup
2 Teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In the bowl of a food processor, add the green onions, garlic, and cilantro. Process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse just until combined. Dressing will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.