Happy Cinco de Mayo! All that really means to me is that the weather is gorgeous and grilling season has commenced, and today of all days I have the right to devour as much of my favorite chips and salsa as I please! (Or no?) Either way, it’s all about the food today and I’ve always been a fan of Mexican-inspired cuisine. In fact, I ALWAYS lose the vote in my family when it comes to choosing a restaurant for dinner. They almost always want Asian, and I, more often than not, will go for some good char-grilled fajitas and soft flour tortillas any day of the week. When I’m trying to keep it light, though, a big, beautiful Mexican salad isn’t a bad choice wither. But I just can’t get down with those dainty little salads. I need a salad that’s flavorful and substantial enough for me to feel like I’ve eaten. Helloooo Mexican Chicken Salad!!!
This salad is great because it’s light enough to keep you feeling good about yourself but hearty enough to remind you you did actually eat something. The chicken and beans really bulk this salad up in terms of protein and help make this a great stand-alone meal. The grilled corn adds great flavor and helps bring some substance as well. Putting anything on the grill makes it better in my opinion, so I really do love this recipe because you can throw the chicken and corn on the grill to really amplify the flavors and get everything done super quickly.
Helpful Hint: After you grill the corn, a cool trick to get the kernels off the cob without getting them all over your kitchen floor is to invert a small bowl inside of a large bowl or colander and stand the ear of corn on top of the inverted bowl. Carefully slicing down, the kernels will fall into the larger bowl, and (hopefully) not all over your counter or floor! TAA-DAAAA!!!
Now about this dressing. It’s to die for. My mom and god mother actually stumbled across Leonardo e Roberto’s Gourmet Blends at a home show in Baltimore not too long ago. They most generously brought us back several of the infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars for us to try. Oh. Em. Gee. They are amazing! The lime olive oil and jalapeño white balsamic vinegar are our favorites so far, and combined they make a killer vinaigrette for this salad!
- 2 chicken cutlets
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups fresh kale/chard blend
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 4-5 sweet mini peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 15 oz. can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ large red onion, sliced
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 ears sweet corn
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper
- ¾ cup lime-infused olive oil
- ¼ cup jalapeño white balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper
- Preheat an outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, cilantro, salt and pepper. Remove corn from husks and brush cilantro butter generously on all sides of the corn. Grill corn (wrapped in aluminum foil if using an outdoor gas or charcoal grill) until tender and slightly charred, about 8-10 minutes, rotating every couple of minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to slice off the kernels from the cob. Set kernels aside.
- Wash chicken cutlets and pat dry. Season with spices and grill until cooked through and crisp, about 4 minutes on each side. Set aside on a cutting board loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes so the meat can reabsorb its juices. Once cooled, slice the chicken into bite-size chunks and set aside.
- Add the greens, sliced onion, diced jalapeño and sweet peppers, and cilantro to a large bowl. Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the salad. Add the corn kernels and sliced chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss.
- In a small bowl (or food processor), whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Serve in a small cruet alongside salad.
liam says
May 5, 2015 at 12:59 pmLooks tasty and great combo of infused oil and balsamic. Can’t wait to try it and share it with others.
Thanks, Liam
from http://www.gourmetblends.us