Southwestern Smoked Chicken Salad Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet; spritz both sides of strips with butter-flavored cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until crisp. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat until no longer pink; set aside. , Combine the salad greens, corn, beans, 1 cup tomatoes, green pepper, jicama and onions; arrange on a serving platter. Place chicken in center of salad; sprinkle with cheese and remaining tomatoes. Arrange tortilla strips around chicken. , In a small bowl, combine the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce; serve with salad.

SOUTHWEST GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender add the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, lime juice, fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to liquefy. Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place the chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag, pour the marinade over the chicken and massage a few times to distribute the marinade evenly over the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before grilling. Preheat the grill to 400ºF.Grill the chicken without turning for 5-7 minutes per side (this will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts), or until a thermometer reads 165ºF degrees in the thickest part. Remove from the grill and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.Grill the corn and jalapenos for 15-20 minutes, turning frequently, until lightly charred.
• Place the chopped lettuce on the bottom of a large platter or salad bowl. Top with the black beans, grilled corn, grilled jalapenos, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and sliced grilled chicken.
• Serve with our Fire Roasted Salsa or our Creamy Jalapeno Cilantro Dip.

SOUTHWEST SMOKED CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Smoke the chicken in a stove-top smoker according to the instructions with the smoker, using mesquite chips. In the meantime, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet on the stove over medium heat. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Cook the bacon to a crisp consistency and drain on a paper towel. Chop when cool. Save drippings for another use. (Cornbread is a good pairing, so the drippings can be used in a cast iron skillet for that preparation.) When the chicken is done, debone the meat, remove the skin and cut the meat into bite-size chunks. Combine in a large bowl with all other ingredients and chill completely - overnight is best. Serve with a drizzle of the BBQ sauce.