Chicken salad takes on Mexican flair
This quick and easy recipe for Chicken Salad Chapala has a name that keys you to its style Chapala is both a lake and a town in Mexico.
Just a few ingredients go into the lively combination that gives the dish its character. Cooked shredded chicken and canned beans are time savers; zucchini and bell pepper are part of the basic salad; interesting extras include crunchy tortillas and juicy mango. Finally, a honey-cumin vinaigrette gives a top layer of flavor.
Chicken Salad Chapala
(Preparation time 20 to 25 minutes)
Vegetable cooking spray
4 flour tortillas (8-inch)
16 ounces chicken breast, cooked, shredded or cubed
15-ounce can pinto or red kidney beans, or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry-packaged pinto or red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
15-ounce can black beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry-packaged black beans, rinsed, drained
1 cup cubed mango
1 medium zucchini, cut in half, sliced
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions and tops
Honey-Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
6 cups torn salad greens
Prepare Honey-Cumin Vinaigrette.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges; spray tops with cooking spray. Bake on cookie sheet at 375 degrees until browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes; reserve.
In a bowl, combine chicken, beans, mango, zucchini, bell pepper and green onions; pour Honey-Cumin Vinaigrette over the mixture and toss.
Arrange salad greens on serving plates and spoon chicken salad over them; garnish with reserved tortilla wedges.
Makes 6 servings.
Honey-Cumin Vinaigrette
1/2 cup orange juice
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil, to taste
1 tablespoon honey
2 or 3 teaspoons lime juice, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Mix all ingredients together well. Makes about 2/3 cup.
Nutrition information per serving: 343 calories, 7 g fat, 49 g carbohydrates, 564 mg sodium, 27 g protein, 10 g dietary fiber, 46 mg cholesterol.