Baja Chicken Salad

Another thing I like to make when the weather is extremely hot is a salad that can be served as the main course, or as I like to call it:  a meal salad.  This one is fairly simple to put together, doesn't heat up the kitchen in the process and tastes great!

I found this recipe in the Pillsbury 40th BAKE-OFF Contest Cookbook and it gets 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale!

Some of the dressing is used while cooking the chicken, so it gets made first.  I use a 2-cup measuring cup in which to combine the oil, vinegar, brown sugar and taco seasoning using a small whisk.  I make sure I whisk it just before adding some to the chicken and again before tossing more with the salad.

The recipe calls for 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into 1-inch pieces.  The chicken is placed in a medium saucepan and 1/2 cup of the dressing is poured over it, tossing to make sure all of the pieces are coated.  The rest of the dressing is reserved to toss with the salad greens.  The chicken then gets cooked over medium-high heat until no longer pink in the center.  This is the way I usually cook the chicken, but tonight I didn't happen to have any fresh or defrosted chicken breasts when I started preparing dinner, so I thought I'd try some already cooked chicken breast strips I try to always have on hand.  I used the same method, combining the dressing with the chicken and heating it in a saucepan.  The only difference was that the chicken was already cooked, so I was only heating it through.  It worked wonderfully, so now I know I can prepare this salad either way!

While the chicken is in the saucepan, I quarter the grape tomatoes and dice some red onion.

The tomatoes and onion get tossed in a large bowl with the romaine lettuce.

Then the dressing gets tossed in.  I add a little at a time, tasting as I go, because my family prefers less to more.  I never seem to use all of the dressing.

 This mixture then gets put on a large platter.

 The chicken is placed right on top of the lettuce mixture.

The cheese is sprinkled on top of the chicken.

The last thing to place on top is the avocado, adding as much as your family likes!  Can you tell most of us like avocados?  This is an extremely satisfying salad.  Enjoy!

Baja Chicken Salad

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 pkg. taco seasoning

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 (10 oz.) bag romaine lettuce

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 1/2 cups Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend

1 - 2 avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced

In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine oil, vinegar, sugar and taco seasoning; mix well.  Place chicken in a medium saucepan.  Pour 1/2 cup of seasoning mixture over chicken; toss to coat.  Reserve remaining mixture for dressing.  Cook chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink in center; cool.  In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes and onion.  Add reserved seasoning mixture; toss to coat.  Arrange salad mixture on serving platter.  Top with chicken, cheese and avocado.