We have had a few nice spring-ish days, which makes my heart lighten and with it my desire for fresh veggies returns. During the winter months, I only want cooked or roasted vegetables. But this dish is how I like to eat and cook in the warmer months. Easy, quick and fresh. It’s full of zest and flavor. If you want to make this vegan, just leave the chicken out and add a little extra dressing.
I spend a little time each week doing food prep, washing and trimming produce, making a sauce or dressing, cooking a pot of beans or what not. I usually have a pre-cooked grain in my refrigerator, ready to go.
Recipe
Garlic-y Lime Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup radish
- 2 cups tomatoes chopped
- 2 avocados cubed
- ½ cup cilantro – leaves loosely packed
- 1 cup cucumber cubed
- 1 lb Chicken breast cutlets
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup olive oil- dressing, 3 tablespoons for marinade
- Juice of 2 Limes, 1 for dressing, 1 for marinade
- 3 cloves garlic, grated, 1 for dressing, 2 for marinade
- 1 can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked farro, quinoa, or brown rice
- 4 tbsp pepitas
- Smoked sea salt
- Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the marinade. Mix together cumin, 3 tablespoons olive oil, big pinch of salt, lime juice, 2 grated garlic cloves, and rub all over the chicken cutlets. Marinade for roughly 20 minutes – any longer and the lime juice starts to cook the meat.
- Preheat oven to 375. Make the dressing: In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add 1 grated garlic clove, juice of one lime, red pepper flakes, ⅓ cup olive oil, ½ tsp salt. Shake and taste. Add more lime juice if you like.
- Make the salad: In a bowl, add ½ of the dressing to the tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, and ½ of the cilantro. Let sit and macerate a bit. Fold in avocado before serving.
- Bake the chicken for 25 minutes or or grill until done. Let rest 5 minutes.
- To assemble, plate ½ cup black beans, ¼ cup farro (or substitute grain), chicken cutlets. Top with salad, a drizzle of remaining dressing, 2 tablespoons pepitas, and a generous bit of the smoked sea salt flakes. Garnish each plate with remaining cilantro.