Friday, March 01, 2019

Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad

Marinated cilantro lime chicken and homemade salad dressing really make this salad perfect for dinner!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad #recipe #salad #chicken #maindish

Happy, March! I hope your month started off like a lamb because oh lordy, mine was a lion of a mess. That's not a saying, but it should be! I had a front loader washing machine malfunction that led to my drain pipe being knocked loose (although I couldn't see that was the issue) and water all over my floor. Thankfully, it took my husband all of 5 minutes to find the issue and place the drain pipe back where it needed to be. But it definitely took up a good chunk of my day worrying and trying to research.

In other March news, salad has made its way to my meal plan for the month on several occasions. I think most weeks have a salad somewhere in there because I miss them so much. I used to eat salads every day for lunch, but tend to eat leftovers nowadays. So any time I can grab a salad, I am so happy. I often eat salads when we eat at fast food restaurants (those Chick-fil-A salads are my jam!). This Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad is one of my favorite homemade salads. There is a bit more of a labor of love, but it's not so outrageous that you're spending too much time in the kitchen. Honestly, you just dirty a few more dishes.

The Cilantro Lime Chicken is so amazing and the marinade really packs the punch of flavor. I really appreciate making the dressing from scratch and can say that this Baja Catalina dressing was unbelievable. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with beans, corn, and tomatoes on a salad, especially one for Taco Tuesday. The tortilla strips were just a bonus bit of crunch to the whole thing.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad #recipe #salad #chicken #maindish

(Print)
What you need:
For the cilantro lime chicken:
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
For the creamy baja catalina dressing:
  • 1/4 cup ketchup 
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. reserved Cilantro Lime marinade
For the salad:
  • Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Avocado, chopped, if desired
  • Tortilla strips
Directions:
  1. For the chicken: add marinade ingredients into a food processor or blender. Pulse until finely chopped. Reserve 2 Tbsp. marinade and place the rest into a dish or large freezer bag.
  2. Add chicken and marinate for 2 to 10 hours in the refrigerator.
  3. For the dressing: mix all ingredients together and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  4. After marinating, cook chicken in desired method using 1 Tbsp. of reserved marinade for basting. I did mine in a skillet. Let cool and then slice into strips.
  5. For the salad: toss all ingredients together and serve topped with cilantro lime chicken and dressing.
Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad #recipe #salad #chicken #maindish

Another wonderful salad that is perfect for Taco Tuesday is this Mexi Ranch Chicken Salad. If you're looking for the best side salad for any fiesta dish, this Black Bean and Corn Salad with Avocado Salad Dressing from Mayuri's Jikoni is simple yet full of flavor.


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