Chicken Taco Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing
Chicken Taco Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing
Pair non-starchy veggies with complex carbohydrates and protein for a balanced, nourishing meal.
Serves 4
Heat oven to 400°F.
Shredded Chicken: Place 1-½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 thighs) in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tb olive oil and season with 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp black pepper. Toss to coat. Spread out chicken thighs on a lined sheet pan. Roast for 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. When the chicken thighs are cooked, shred them using 2 forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the sheet pan and toss in the pan juices.
Pico de Gallo: Slice and deseed 2 serrano peppers (optional). Finely chop serrano peppers, 2 Roma tomatoes, ¼ medium red onion and ¼ cup cilantro leaves. Combine in a clean mixing bowl. Add the juice of 1 lime and toss well.
Chipotle Lime Dressing: Blend 3.5 oz canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (entire contents of the can), the juice of 2 limes, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup olive oil until smooth.
Chicken Taco Salad: Chop and wash 4 small heads of romaine lettuce and place in 4 large bowls or glass storage containers. Drain and rinse 2 cans low-sodium black beans. Distribute beans, pico de gallo and shredded chicken evenly among the 4 salads. Drizzle with chipotle lime dressing and toss well. Optional toppings include cubed or sliced avocado, shredded cheese or crushed tortilla chips.
*Recipe note: Because the canned chipotle chiles used in the dressing contain salt, each component of the salad does not need to be salted.
