Santa Fe Chicken Salad
This Earls copycat recipe for the Santa Fe Chicken Salad is sure to leave to satisfied. Full of protein from chicken and black beans, this salad also features a subtle sweetness from the corn and medjool dates, and is topped off with salty feta and some crunchy tortilla strips.
Ingredients
Peanut Lime Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Zest of 2 Limes (approx. 2 tbsp)
- 3 tbsp Peanut Butter †
- 2 tbsp Peanut Oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
Santa Fe Chicken Salad
- 6-7 cups Chopped Romaine Lettuce, well rinsed
- 1/2 cup Sweet Corn ††
- 1/2 cup Canned Black Beans, well rinsed
- 6 tbsp Crumbled Feta
- 4 Medjool Dates, deseeded and chopped into small pieces
- 1 Avocado, sliced or diced
- Entire Peanut Lime Vinaigrette Dressing (Recipe Above)
- Handful of Crispy Tortilla Strips, to garnish †††
- 3 Small Cooked Cajun Chicken Breasts, sliced or diced ††††
Instructions
Peanut Lime Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients into a food processor, and process until smooth and well emulsified. Vinaigrette may be stored in the fridge for 2 days.
Santa Fe Chicken Salad
- Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and toss with dressing. Serve onto 3 large plates or 3 large bowls, top each with tortilla strips.
Notes
† light peanut butter can be used. If using natural peanut butter, you may have to increase sugar for desired taste
†† I use frozen corn that I defrost in a strainer over hot tap water. However roasted corn would be even more delicious, albeit time consuming.
††† I use store bought “salad topper” tortilla strips. However, you could buy tortillas and cut them into small strips and fry them. Or you could also easily use crushed corn tortilla chips as well.
†††† For the Cajun chicken I simply take a chicken breast, cover it with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning, and bake in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink.
†† I use frozen corn that I defrost in a strainer over hot tap water. However roasted corn would be even more delicious, albeit time consuming.
††† I use store bought “salad topper” tortilla strips. However, you could buy tortillas and cut them into small strips and fry them. Or you could also easily use crushed corn tortilla chips as well.
†††† For the Cajun chicken I simply take a chicken breast, cover it with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning, and bake in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink.