Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing
Description
This salad takes a bit of time to prepare, but it is so worth it. The chicken is juicy and full of flavor and the salad's homemade Catalina dressing is sweet and tangy.
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Chicken:
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
Cilantro Lime Marinade:
1 c. loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 T. olive oil
1 t. EACH chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder
1/2 t. EACH: smoked paprika, salt, pepper, sugar
1/4 t. cayenne pepper, optional
Chicken Taco Salad:
Cilantro Lime Chicken, cooked
1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped)
1 c. black beans, drained and rinsed
raw corn from 2 ears sweet corn
1/2 c. finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese, or to taste
2 avocados, chopped
tortilla chips, slightly crushed or tortilla strips, to taste
Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing:
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
3 T. sugar, more or less to taste
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream (or yogurt)
1 T. reserved Cilantro Lime Marinade
Directions
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Cilantro Lime Marinade:
Add all marinade ingredients to food processor; pulse until finely chopped, scraping down sides several times; remove and reserve 2 T. for basting, will use 1 T. for basting, 1 T. for dressing.
Add remaining marinade to a shallow dish or large zip lock bag; add chicken; turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 2-10 hours.
When ready to cook, remove chicken from refrigerator; let sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes.
Chicken Cooking Methods: (choose one)
Skillet:
Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When very hot, drain chicken from marinade, pat off excess; place in skillet. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over; cover; reduce heat to medium; cook for about 4-6 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken to cutting board; baste with reserved 2 T. marinade. Garnish with additional lime juice to taste, if desired. Let rest 5 minutes. Slice or chop.
Grill:
Grease and preheat grill to medium heat, 375-45 degrees.
Drain chicken from marinade; pat off excess; place on grill. Grill chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. (Thermometer should read 165 degrees F.)
Remove chicken to cutting board; baste with reserved 2 T. marinade. Garnish with additional lime juice to taste, if desired. Let rest 5 minutes. Slice or chop.
Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing:
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, including the 1 T. reserved Cilantro Lime Marinade. Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Keeps in an airtight container up to 7 days.
Assembly:
Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle individual servings with desired amount of dressing. Season with additional salt, pepper, hot sauce and/or lime juice to taste.
6-8 servings.