I’ve made this salad more than any other on my site. It’s silly it has taken me this long to take a picture of it and share the recipe here! It’s one of my favorite salads to make for a lunch with friends. (But my kids and husband enjoy it too.) The grilled chicken, almonds, and avocado make it hearty. The creamy goat cheese and sweet-tart cranberries make it more interesting. But the dressing is the star. It’s soooo delicious! One of- maybe THE- best salad dressing I’ve ever made/eaten.
Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
INGREDIENTS
Orange Poppy Seeding Dressing: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup canola oil (I’ve also used grape-seed oil) 2 tsp. orange zest 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp. honey 2 tsp. dijon mustard 1/4 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
Salad: grilled chicken, sliced baby spinach (I used a mixture of spinach, mixed greens, and romaine) avocado, pitted and diced crumbled goat cheese (or feta) sliced almonds , toasted sweetened dried cranberries
DIRECTIONS
Add olive oil, canola oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard and salt to a blender. Pulse until well emulsified. (Or you can whisk to combine all the ingredients in a bowl.) Pour into a jar and stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.
I’ve been making salsa verde chicken (throw some chicken breast or thighs in the slow cooker with a few spices and jar of salsa verde and a few hours later it’s done!) for years now and using it in burritos/tacos/quesadillas but this is the first time I’ve made tostadas and it was a big hit! And I love the simple refried bean recipe I found to top the tostadas. We can’t unanimously agree on a brand of canned refried beans but we all liked these! (This recipe uses canned pinto beans cooked with some garlic, olive oil, and a few spices to make your own and it’s quick and easy.) I bought the tostada shells but you can certainly make your own- I provided a link to a recipe below.
Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas
INGREDIENTS
Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken: 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs) 1 12 oz. jar salsa verde (I use Trader Joe’s brand) 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. cumin 1/8 tsp. Mexican oregano pinch cayenne salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tostadas: tostada shells (I used Guerrero brand, here is a recipe to make your own) refried beans (canned or see recipe below) grated cheese (Cheddar, Pepper/Colby Jack, Mexican blend, etc.) shredded lettuce guacamole or sliced avocado diced tomatoes or pico de gallo sliced green onion sour cream chopped cilantro (optional) pickled jalapeno (optional) lime wedges, for serving
Refried Beans: 2 (16 oz.) cans pinto beans 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 clove garlic 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. cumin salt and freshly ground black pepper (~1/2 tsp. each or to taste) pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)
DIRECTIONS
Slow-Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken:
Season chicken with garlic powder, cumin, oregano, a pinch of cayenne and salt and pepper and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with salsa verde, cover and cook HIGH 2 hours.
Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with 2 forks. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and discard. Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot with remaining salsa, adjust seasoning to taste if needed and keep warm.
Refried Beans:
While chicken is cooking, make the refried beans. Place two tablespoons of olive oil into a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, be careful to not burn garlic. Add two cans of pinto beans, undrained (I drained and rinsed my beans and then added about 1/2 cup water back in), to the garlic mixture. Add chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to the beans. Mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Using a potato masher, smash the beans until fairly smooth. (I used an immersion blender and blended until smooth, adding some more water to thin them.) The beans will continue to thicken as they cool. Remove beans from heat, place in a bowl or keep warm until ready to serve.
Tostadas:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place tostada shells on a baking sheet. When the oven is hot, spread some refried beans on top of each tostada shell, top with salsa verde chicken and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the shells are crisp, about 4 minutes.
Remove tostadas from the oven and top with lettuce, guacamole/avocado, tomatoes/pico, green onion, sour cream, cilantro, pickled jalapeno, etc. and serve with a squeeze of lime.
I have a weakness for anything with Chipotle pepper in it! I love the smokey heat it imparts to this otherwise simple grilled chicken taco salad. The chipotle in adobo is blended with sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime, and a few spices to make a creamy dressing that I’d be happy to pour over just about anything. I’ve included my latest favorite way to grill chicken- an easy buttermilk marinade that tenderizes the meat and adds just enough flavor but doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients. If you’ve got some fresh corn, throw that on the grill too! This light taco salad is what summer dinners should be.
Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad
INGREDIENTS
Dressing: 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2/3 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp. minced chipotle in adobo (I used 1/2 Tbsp. for a mild kick) 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. chili powder 4 tsp. fresh lime juice 1/4 tsp. salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad: Buttermilk Marinated Chicken* (rotisserie chicken also works well here) shredded romaine lettuce cherry tomatoes, halved sliced avocado thinly sliced red or green onion black or pinto beans corn (fresh and grilled or frozen and toasted in a dry skillet) cheese (I used grated cheddar and Pepper Jack, as well as some crumbled Cotija) sliced lime, for serving tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
*Buttermilk Marinated Chicken: 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, halved or sliced into strips 1 cup buttermilk 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS
To make the dressing: Combine the ingredients and whisk well (I prefer to blend them in a food processor). Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make the buttermilk marinated chicken: Combine the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl or resealable plastic bag, then add the chicken and stir to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to about 8 hours. Drain the marinade, season the chicken with a bit more salt, and grill over medium-high heat until cooked through. Let rest a few minutes before slicing to serve.
To assemble the salad: Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl or on individual plates and top with chicken, drizzle with dressing, and serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips on the side.
marinade 30 min to full day, season with salt after draining marinade
Next to the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus I just posted, this is probably the most-repeated recipe of the last few years over here. We really love this middle-eastern inspired chicken… marinaded in garlic and lemon and spices, grilled, then wrapped in soft flatbread with lettuce and sliced tomato and topped with a spicy creamy garlic sauce. If you prep the chicken and spicy sauce ahead of time, it makes dinner quite easy. And the flavors are really incredible! I like to serve it with fresh veggies and hummus or roasted vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower and/or potatoes.
p.s. Don’t skip the tahini in the sauce… it’s what makes it extra unique/delicious!
bamboo or metal skewers for grilling flatbread/naan/pita bread wraps (store-bought or homemade) spring lettuce mix (or romaine/spinach/arugula/etc.) sliced tomatoes thinly sliced red onion (optional)
Spicy Garlic Sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (low-fat yogurt is OK, can also use sour cream) 1 Tbsp. tahini 2 cloves garlic (a heaping tsp.), finely minced or pressed through a garlic press 1-2 tsp. sriracha/hot sauce (more or less to taste) AND/OR a pinch of cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. kosher salt Pinch black pepper Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (~1/2 tsp)
DIRECTIONS
For the chicken, place the cubed chicken in a flat dish or in a gallon ziploc bag. Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, paprika, and coriander. Pour over the chicken, toss to coat, and cover the dish (or seal the bag) and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour or up to 8 hours.
Thread the chicken pieces on metal or bamboo skewers and grill on medium-high, flipping halfway, until the chicken is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes total. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
For the garlic sauce, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth (you can also whisk together in a bowl). I like to pour the mixed sauce into a squeeze bottle for easy serving. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (The sauce can be made up to several days ahead of time.)
To serve, place lettuce greens down the center of each wrap, followed by slices of tomato, red onion (if using), grilled chicken and a healthy drizzle of spicy garlic sauce.
Enchiladas are one of my favorite things to make at home. They usually turn out just as good- often better!- than restaurant versions, they’re convenient (perfect to prep ahead of time and throw in the oven when dinnertime rolls around, also perfect for delivering dinner to a friend), and my whole family devours them without complaint. I also love loading them up with all the toppings: shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, and avocado. That’s comfort food for me.
This red chile sauce enchilada is more involved than my easy salsa verde enchilada recipe, but the homemade red chile sauce is worth the extra work! You can cook the chicken by simmering it right in the sauce or use pre-cooked chicken (such as rotisserie) and just add it after the sauce has reduced. Use corn or flour tortillas and your favorite blend of Mexican cheese (I always include some Pepper Jack). You could make these enchiladas vegetarian by replacing the chicken with your choice of beans/vegetables. And note that they’re not super spicy. If you want more heat, add more jalapeno (and/or leave in the seeds) or up the chipotle in adobo if that’s what you’re using.
Red Chile Sauce Chicken Enchiladas
INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, diced (or 2-3 green onions) 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (I used 1/2 Tbsp. Chipotle in adobo instead) 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil 3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced 2 Tbsp. chili powder 1 Tbsp. granulated or brown sugar 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce 1 cup water 1 1/2- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts) 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey/Colby/Pepper Jack cheese handful minced fresh cilantro (I used 1/4 cup) ~12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas (I slightly larger flour tortillas)
for serving: sour cream shredded lettuce diced tomato/salsa/pico de gallo sliced avocado or guacamole fresh cilantro or chives, for garnish
DIRECITONS
In a large saucepan, combine the onion, jalapeno/chipotle, 1/2 tsp. salt, and oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer.
Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts you are using. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool slightly. Continue to simmer the sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture with a spoon or spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Transfer the leftover onion mixture from the strainer to a large bowl and set aside. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the onion mixture in the large bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Jack cheese and the cilantro. Toss to combine.
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap or damp paper towels. Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes, until the cheese browns. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc. if desired.
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