Chipotle Chicken Salad

Every Monday it's our pleasure to take care of our two little grandsons for our daughter who went back to school to get her MBA.  She then stays for dinner with us on those Mondays.  We love that we get to spend extra time with her, and her husband also loves the little break that he gets on Monday nights :)

 

Needless to say, I need to fix meals that are quick and easy after having 3-1/2 year old and 13-month old boys here all day.  I found this recipe for Chipotle Chicken Salad while searching for recipes using rotisserie chicken (Sam's sells biggest rotisserie chickens I've found). With a couple of minor 'tweaks', it turned out to be not only easy but really tasty!  I had the chicken cut, the beans rinsed and drained, the onions chopped and dressing made the night before.

Serve it up with a topping of Mexican blend cheese.  There are not only crushed tortilla chips mixed into the salad but I served the salad with extra chips to garnish with a bite of salad on top.  Have any of you tried the new Xochitl tortilla chips yet?. They are thin, crispy and a wonderful treat!

Happy May and Happy Cinco de Mayo!  

Here are a few other Mexican and Southwestern recipes you might like for your Cinco de Mayo feast:

Simple Chicken Fajitas  
Gazpacho Filled Avocados
Shrimp, Mango and Jicama Salad
Chipotle Pork Cheeseburgers
Chili Blanco Especial 

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Chipotle Chicken Salad

Adapted from Epicurious

Printable Recipe

Yield: Makes 4 servings

1 large rotisserie-cooked chicken at room temperature (I used only the breast meat in this salad)

1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs (I forgot to buy cilantro so substituted 1 tsp. dried)
1 rounded tablespoon canned chipotles in adobo, or to taste

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/3 cup olive oil
Fresh lime juice (about 2 limes worth)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

4-5 green onions, chopped
1 (15- to 19-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 firm-ripe California avocados, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 firm tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 oz tortilla chips, gently crushed into small but not tiny pieces (1 1/2 cups)
1 large head of romaine, rinsed and chopped

Shredded Mexican blend cheese - optional

Sliced black olives - optional

Remove chicken breast from bone and cut into large chunks and reserve. 

Purée cilantro, chipotles, sour cream, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small chopper/blender, then slowly whisk in olive oil. Adjust to taste with either more adobo sauce, sour cream or lime juice.

Place romaine, chicken pieces, chopped onion, black beans, cubed avocado, tomato and crushed tortilla chips into a large salad bowl. 

Add enough dressing to coat and toss gently. 

Serve with additional tortilla chips for garnish and to scoop the salad. 

Note: The original recipe does not call for sour cream but I find it's a nice, cool counterpart to the chipotles in adobo. The salad can also be served on whole romaine leaves rather than mixed with chopped romaine.

PS:  Did you know that you chipotle peppers in adobo can be frozen?  I put one pepper and a little adobo sauce on a piece of plastic wrap and twist the ends together.  Do this with all of the peppers left in the can and then place them in a zipper freezer bag.