Recipe for Salad – Southwestern Chef Salad with Chipotle Chicken

Chef salads are loaded with protein and vegetables. This version adds corn, black beans and a nicely marinated Chipotle chicken. It is a whole meal in one. Here is what you are going to need for this:

Serves eight

FOR THE MARINADE:
1 large lime – juiced (about ¼ cup)
¼ cup oil
1 TBS chopped cilantro
3 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 TBS chipotle powder
2 scallions – chopped (white, light green, dark green)
1 tsp. black pepper

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk.

FOR THE CHICKEN:

1 whole skinless/ boneless chicken breast – cut into strips
2 TBS oil

Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge.

Heat a skillet with the oil. Once it is hot. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) and cook it in batches. Brown one side and flip it until the other side is browned as well. Make sure you cook the chicken all the way through. Place the cooked chicken on a paper lined plate to drain any excess oil. You can serve it warm or at room temperature.

FOR THE DRESSING:

2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
2 TBS lime juice
1 tsp. cumin
3 TBS chopped cilantro
4 TBS olive oil
1 tsp. black pepper
2 to 3 TBS water

Mash the garlic cloves with the salt using the back of a small spoon.

Place the mayonnaise, mustard, mashed garlic, like juice and cumin in a bowl. Whisk it until uniformly mixed. Add the cilantro and mix well.

Slowly add the olive oil, in a thin stream, while constantly whisking. Taste for salt and add the black pepper. Thin out the dressing by adding water a TBS at a time. Whisk well and set aside.

FOR THE SALAD:

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cups chopped salad greens
1 cup shredded green or red cabbage
4 large tomatoes – peeled and chopped
1 medium red onion – finely chopped
1 – 11 oz. can of corn kernels, drained
1 – 14 oz. can black beans, drained
2 TBS chopped scallion greens
4 oz. Cheddar cheese – cut in strips
4 oz. ham – cut in strips
1 large avocado – sliced
4 hardboiled eggs – peeled and quartered

Toss the lettuces, cabbage, tomatoes, onion, corn, beans and scallion greens in a large bowl. Drizzle with salad dressing and toss to coat well.
Divide salad onto 8 dishes. Top with equal parts of cheese, ham, chicken, avocado and hardboiled egg slices. Enjoy!

Print the Southwestern Chef Salad Recipe Here

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