Blackened Chicken Fiesta Salad

Juicy, flavorful chicken nestled on top of an amazing corn, tomato, and chickpea salad

I have made quite a few fiesta salads but this is by far my favorite. The blackened chicken was wonderful on its own, but it was the salad mix that really blew me away. It's not a salad with lettuce or leafy greens. It's a salad with chickpeas, tomato, and corn. I think it was my first time using chickpeas and we really enjoyed them. The salad itself was even better the next day after the flavors had married a little more. 

(Print)
What you need:
For the salad:

• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. cumin
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

For the chicken:

• 4 chicken breasts
• Olive oil spray
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1. For the salad: In a large bowl, combine garlic, lime juice, oil, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt.
2. Then add chickpeas, corn, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Stir well.
3. For the chicken: In a bowl, mix together paprika, salt, cumin, thyme, cayenne, and garlic.
4. Spray the chicken with olive oil and then rub spice mixture on each side of each piece of chicken.
5. Heat a cast iron skillet until smoking hot. Add chicken and cook for 1 minute. Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute.
6. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until no longer pink on the inside.
7. Let rest for 5 minutes and slice chicken into strips.
8. Divide salad into bowls and top with strips of chicken.

Recipe from Skinny Taste

This Warm Spinach Salad isn't what I would think of as a traditional salad but it's incredible. I would love to try this Chopped Thai Chicken Salad from The Pajama Chef because it has mango and cabbage with a peanut dressing!

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