Southwestern Chicken Salad

Romaine, red leaf lettuce, shredded cheddar, green onions and black beans with sundried tomatoes with chipotle chicken

By: G. Garvin, Celebrity Chef

Prep Time: 4 to 12 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours

RECIPE
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Servings:

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Chipotle Chicken Breast:
1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ Tablespoons dried chipotle peppers
1/3 cup lime juice
1 ¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic cloves

Black Beans with Sun Dried Tomatoes:
¼ cup dried black turtle beans
1/3 cup low sodium vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons diced green bell peppers
3 Tablespoons diced red bell peppers
2 ½ Tablespoons diced yellow onions
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic cloves
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno peppers
1 Tablespoon frozen corn
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder
2 ½ Tablespoons diced sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon lime zest
1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Chipotle Ranch Salad Dressing:
1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 ¼ teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup and 2 Tablespoons creamy ranch dressing

Fried Tortilla Strips:
2 (6") yellow corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips
Frying oil
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

Southwestern Chicken Salad:
4 cups romaine lettuce, torn or cut into 1” pieces
4 cups red leaf lettuce, torn or cut into 1” pieces
1 ¼ teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Allergens:

Eggs, Milk, Soy

Nutritional Information

Directions:

To Prepare Black Beans with Sun Dried Tomatoes:
NOTE: Use gloves to handle peppers. Pepper juice can burn eyes. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling peppers.
Soak black beans overnight in water. Rinse beans several times in cold water. Heat a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable stock, black beans, green peppers, red peppers, onion, garlic and jalapeno. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Stir in corn, cumin, chili powder, sun dried tomatoes, lime juice, lime zest and cayenne. Cover and continue to cook until beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Add salt. Remove from heat.
To Prepare Chipotle Chicken Breast:
Gently pound chicken to an even thickness and cut into 4 equal size pieces. Combine oil and remaining ingredients and toss with chicken, coat well. Place in a bowl, cover and marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before use.

NOTE: Do not marinate for more than 12 hours.
Drain and discard excess marinade. Cook chicken breasts on a hot grill or grill pan until marked on both sides. Transfer to a sprayed sheet pan and finish in 325-degree Fahrenheit oven until cooked through. Remove from heat. Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing against the grain on the bias.
To Prepare Chipotle Ranch Salad Dressing: Place chipotle peppers in adobo in a stainless-steel bowl. Using the back of a spoon, puree peppers. In a stainless-steel bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix until well-blended. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
To Prepare Fried Tortilla Strips: Cut tortillas into 1/2″ x 3″ strips. Deep fat fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 1/2 minutes or until crunchy golden brown. Drain well and lightly salt while still hot.
NOTE: If no deep fryer is available, toss tortilla strips with oil. Place in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake in a preheated 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp. Rotate pan halfway through cooking process to promote even browning.
To Prepare Southwestern Chicken Salad: In a stainless-steel bowl, combine romaine, red leaf lettuce, cilantro, green onions, black beans with sundried tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese. Toss gently to evenly distribute. Evenly divide salad into 4 servings. Place 1 portion in center of each plate. Evenly top with sliced chicken, and drizzle 2 Tbsp chipotle ranch dressing over each salad. Garnish with fried tortilla strips in center of salad. Enjoy immediately!