Santa Fe Chicken Salad
Santa Fe Chicken Salad is a Chili's copycat recipe, with spicy chicken, crispy tortilla strips, and fresh veggies like tomatoes and avocado.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise
- ½ cup (140 g) Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ½ lime juiced
- ¼ teaspoon salt if your taco seasoning does not contain salt
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle power
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
For the Salad:
- 2 chicken breasts sliced lengthwise into 4 cutlets
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning I used my homemade taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large heart of romaine lettuce cut or torn (about 6 cups)
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- ½ small red onion diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 large avocado sliced
- 1 ½ cups crispy tortilla strips see recipe below if making homemade
For the Tortilla Strips:
- Small white corn tortillas cut into strips
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil for frying
- Salt for seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, taco seasoning, lime juice, salt, chipotle and cayenne powders. Whisk until combined and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and taco seasoning. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C (check with a meat thermometer). Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing into strips.
- Prepare the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, most of the diced tomatoes (reserve some for garnish), most of the diced red onion (reserve some for garnish), and most of the chopped cilantro (reserve some for garnish). Add ¾ of the dressing to the bowl and gently toss the salad to combine.
- Plate the Salad: Transfer the salad to a serving plate. Top the salad with the sliced chicken, and place the sliced avocado on the sides of the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining diced tomato, diced red onion, and chopped cilantro over the top. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad.
- Prepare the Tortilla Strips: Cut small white corn tortillas into strips. Fry the tortilla strips in 350°F/180°C oil for about a minute or less. Drain the tortilla strips on kitchen towels. Season with salt while still hot.
- Serve: Just before serving, top the salad with the crispy tortilla strips.
Notes
- If you're watching your sodium, I suggest making your own taco seasoning from scratch so that you can eliminate or reduce the amount of salt. Commercially available taco seasonings are generally pretty salty, or you can look for low-sodium versions.
- I'm plating this salad family-style on a platter, but you can also plate it into four separate portions on dinner plates instead.
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese would be delicious on this salad. You can also add any other veggies that you enjoy, such as cucumbers, bell peppers, fresh corn kernels, or beans.
- This dressing is on the spicy side. If you would prefer it to be milder, reduce or omit the cayenne and chipotle powders from the dressing.
- Once the salad is made and dressed, it should be enjoyed right away.
- If you would like to prepare the ingredients ahead of time, I suggest making the dressing and cooking the chicken, then storing both in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also prep the veggies, but leave the avocado uncut until you're ready for it (it will turn brown).
- When you're ready to eat your Santa Fe Chicken Salads, finish chopping the veggies and mix everything up fresh.
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 901mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1492IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/santa-fe-chicken-salad/