Spicy Chicken Salad

Number of Servings: 4-5

Spicy Chicken:

1 pound (450 g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ‘fingers’ or strips
Buttermilk

2 tablespoons (30 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 mL) cornmeal
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) ground cumin
Sea or Kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

Salad Ingredients:

1 can (540 mL/19 fl oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup (250 mL) corn, cooked and cooled
1 red pepper, fine dice
1 poblano or Anaheim pepper, fine dice
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks (drizzled with a little lime juice)
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped pickled jalapeno pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped or thinly sliced red onion
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons (10 mL) brown sugar – or – 2 teaspoons hot red pepper jelly, melted
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
½ – 1 teaspoon (2.5-5 mL) chipotle chili powder (alternatively you can use 1 teaspoon of canned chipotles in adobo sauce, along with some sauce)
1/3 cup (85 mL) olive oil
Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare chicken:  Marinate chicken strips, in enough buttermilk to cover, for at least one hour.  Remove from marinade, blot dry with paper towels.   Combine flour, cornmeal, chipotle powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.   Coat each chicken strip in the mixture.   Heat oil in a sauté pan (medium-high heat). Saute chicken strips – 2-3 minutes per side.   Set aside (keep warm).
2. Place salad ingredients (except cilantro) in a large bowl.
3. Prepare vinaigrette: Combine vinegar, sugar or melted jelly, mustard, chipotle chili powder in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Fold vinaigrette into salad ingredients. Fold in cilantro.
5. When ready to serve, place 3-4 chicken strips on each plate. Top with the salad.

Questions and comments are always welcome      alex@chilipeppersandpears.com ^[1]