Delicious Chicken Taco Salad Preparation with Vibrant Produce

Delicious Chicken Taco Salad Preparation with Vibrant Produce

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Go for a zesty twist on the classic chicken taco salad! Swap out tinned goods for vibrant choices like corn, avocado, and tomatoes. Impress yourself with this recipe, which might just become your new go-to lunch!

Skip the dull, scheduled versions of this dish, and embrace a mouthwatering alternative. We've shunned funky canned components and crunchy, deep-fried shells to favor fresh corn, avocado, and tomato, along with a tempting cumin-traced Tex-Mex dressing.

What to buy: Remember to pick up a large family-sized (17-ounce) bag of tortilla chips so you'll have an abundance to enjoy with the salad and extra leftovers for later. (And don't forget to stock up on the cocktail ingredients as well!)

Game plan: You can prepare the chicken, shred, and stash it in the fridge up to a day in advance. If you're low on time, grab meat from a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (roughly 3 cups worth).

Both the cumin and sour cream dressings can be whipped up and refrigerated for a day prior to serving.

If you opt for homemade black beans, plan to soak the beans for two days before popping 'em in the pot.

• Yield: 4 to 6 servings
• Difficulty: Easy
• Total: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients (30)

For the chicken:

• 2 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt
• Black pepper

For the cumin dressing:

• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 dashes Tabasco
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

For the sour cream dressing:

• 1 cup sour cream (8 ounces)
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice

For the salad:

• 1 cup white or yellow corn kernels, cut from the cob (from about 1 ear)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 cup cooked dried black beans (see Game Plan note)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1 medium avocado, large dice
• 1 medium Roma tomato, medium dice
• 3/4 cup red onion, small dice (from about 1/2 medium onion)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions (from about 1/2 bunch), white and light green parts only
• 2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

For the chicken:

1. Set the oven to 400°F and place a rack in the middle. Brush the chicken with the oil, season it with salt and pepper, and position it on a sheet tray. Cook until the chicken hits 160°F on a digital thermometer, about 45 to 50 minutes. Move the chicken to a chopping board to cool for around 30 minutes.
2. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the bones, discarding the skin, bone, and fat. Rip the chicken into bite-sized chunks, transfer to a medium container or bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the cumin dressing:

1. Toss the vinegar, ketchup, Tabasco, cumin, lime juice, sugar, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a medium, non-reactive dish until mixed. Gradually add the oil while constantly whisking until entirely combined. Sample for additional salt and pepper as needed. Seal and refrigerate until eager to use.

For the sour cream dressing:

1. Fuse the sour cream, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice in a small, non-reactive container and stir until coherent. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the salad:

1. Fire up a cast iron skillet on high until smoking, about 10 minutes. Spread the corn kernels in the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until charred, roughly 5 minutes. Transport to a big dish and season with salt and pepper.
2. Pop the cooked chicken, romaine lettuce, black beans, cheese, avocado, tomato, and red onion into the dish. Drizzle the cumin dressing on top and gently toss to blend. Sprinkle with the scallions and crushed tortilla chips and serve with the sour cream dressing available on the side.

Want some fresh Mexican flair in your lunch? This Fantastic Chicken Taco Salad recipe, accentuated with a flavorsome cumin-laced Tex-Mex dressing, is just the ticket!

1. To elevate the recipe, consider adding some uncategorized nutritious ingredients to the salad, such as black beans and corn kernels.
2. Instead of using canned corns, prepare homemade corn by charring kernels in a hot skillet for a more vibrant flavor.
3. Instead of grabbing meat from a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, use 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning to give the chicken a zestier twist.
4. To enhance the taste of the sour cream dressing, substitute half of the sour cream with Greek yogurt and add half a cup of salsa for an extra kick.

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