southwestern chicken salad

4 servings

Preptime: 30 min.

Southwestern chicken salad is loaded with complex flavors, earned from lime and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and yet light. The latter is an easy find in the grocer’s Latin food section.

For the dressing:

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. buttermilk (substitution here)
• 2-4 Tbsp. chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• S&P to taste
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, lightly toasted and coarsely ground (can use ground cumin, but taste as you add)

1. Mix together the oil, buttermilk, 2 T of chicken broth, and the remainder of ingredients. If you like a thinner dressing, add more chicken broth.

For the salad:

• 3 cups poached, shredded chicken breasts (can use store-bought rotisserie chicken, leftover or poaching recipe below)
• S&P to taster
• 6 large radishes – 4 diced, 2 sliced
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and cut into thin strips – these are spicy, I only used 2.
• 8 romaine lettuce leaves, sliced
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small avocado, sliced

1. Place chicken in large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Toss with diced radishes, cilantro, chipotle chiles and all but about 2 Tbsp of dressing. Taste as you go because you may not want that much dressing in the chicken. 
3. Toss the lettuce with the remaining dressing, arrange in bowl or platter.
4. Top with chicken, sliced radishes, tomatoes and avocado.

Poached chicken (it’s good if you have time and makes it’s own stock):

• 1 small onion quartered
• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 2 gloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme or oregano
• 1-1 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Combine 2 quarts water, onion, garlic in large pot and bring to simmer.
2. Add chicken, bring to simmer and skim off any foam and then add herbs
3. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add salt, allow chicken to cool in stock.
5. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. 

crunchtimewarp:

• Omit or add any vegetables you have on hand. 
• I stock jar of minced garlic, boxed chicken broth
• Purchase poached, roasted and shredded chicken

recipe slightly modified from Best Recipes for Health and provided by your friends at crunchtimefood.com.