I’ve never been one of those girls who just order a salad. Please, ladies. I rarely even have them as a side dish with my hearty meals. Salads annoy me because they take kind of a long time to put together and the lettuce just never stays as fresh as I would want it.
I guess, whenever I’m really hungry, a salad isn’t what pops into my mind.
Now that I’ve adequately bashed salads, let’s talk about how I got over myself and made one that was delicious and satisfying.
It was a quiet night when I was home alone. It was hot as Hades outside and I didn’t want anything that would make me even hotter. So I put together a simple taco salad that was perfect except that I forgot the black beans!
Simply seasoned chicken, seared and then poached and shredded. Sharp cheddar cheese. Ripe avocado. Salsa fresca. Baked corn tortilla strips. Romaine. Taco salads are great because they don’t need a dressing – the juices and seasoning of the ingredients are plenty.
This recipe makes me think I should do salads more often. And I was able to pack my extras as a great lunch!
Maybe next time I’ll do something with steak and blue cheese? Peaches and bacon?
Chicken Taco Salad
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with cumin, smoked chipotle chili powder, garlic powder and seasoned salt (just use whatever you have on hand!)
- 6 soft corn torillas, sliced into strips and tossed with a drizzle of olive oil and seasoned salt
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
- 1/3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 c. salsa fresca (mix 2 large chopped tomatoes, 1 minced garlic clove, handful minced cilantro, half small onion chopped or 2 shallots, seeded and chopped jalapeno, S&P, juice of one lime)
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
Heat oven to 400. Spread tortilla strips on baking sheet. When oven is heated, bake until crisp, mixing occasionally, 15-20 min.
Meanwhile, prepare chicken. Heat skillet over medium-high with a drizzle of EVOO. Sear breasts on both sides, then pour in 1-1 1/2 c. chicken stock or water. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until cooked through – 5-10 min. depending on thickness. When done, remove to cutting board and shred or chop.
Finally, prepare salad. Layer lettuce, then salsa, then cheese, then chicken, (then more cheese?) then avocado, then tortillas.
Enjoy al fresco with a nice summer ale.
Enjoy, friends! xoxo
Seasoned to Taste 
Seems like you could cook the chicken and maybe even the tortilla strips on the grill to avoid heating up the kitchen entirely! Sounds delicious.