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Chipotle Grilled Chicken Salad

Prep Time:

20 min

Cook Time:

25 min

Serves:

2

About the Recipe

Healthy, Easy, Chipotle Grilled Chicken Salad with Grilled Corn, Peppers and Arugula, over a bed of optional quinoa with grilled scallions, avocado and a simple Chipotle Lime Dressing.

Ingredients

Chipotle Chicken

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs or breasts ( boneless, skinless)

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 2 chipotle peppers (canned) plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce ( juice from can)

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 1 shallot

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin

  • 1 tablespoon coriander

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 2 teaspoons salt ( 1 teaspoon per pound)


Salad

  • 1 ear corn, shucked

  • 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded

  • 4-6 scallions, whole

  • olive oil for brushing

  • 1 -1.5 cups cooked quinoa ( or use this Everyday Quinoa Recipe -it’s good here!)

  • 2-3 cups arugula (or other baby green)

  • 1 avocado, sliced

  • handful cherry tomatoes, halved

  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves

  • salt and pepper


Chipotle Lime Dressing

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

  • 1 tablespoon honey or agave ( if you rather leave this out, cut lime juice down to 2 tablespoons, add more to taste)

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon coriander

  • ¼-½ teaspoon ground chipotle powder, more to taste

Preparation

  1. Prepare your chicken marinade: Place marinade ingredients in a food processor and process into a paste. Place the chicken and marinade in a ziplock bag and massage well to mix and coat all sides well. Marinade 20 minutes, up to 2 days.

  2. Pre-heat grill to medium high.

  3. Grill each side of chicken 6-7 minutes, or until good grill marks appear. Lower heat and move chicken to cooler side of the grill and continue to grill until chicken is cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165F.

  4. Brush the red bell pepper halves, ear of corn and scallions with olive oil ( or use olive oil spray) and grill until tender and grill marks appear, about 5-8 minutes.  Alternately, bake the tofu, following those instructions).

  5. Cut the kernels off the corn, slice the bell pepper,  slice the avocado, cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

  6. Slice the chicken if using.

  7. Make the dressing by whisking all together in a small bowl.

  8. Assemble the bowls. Divide and layer the quinoa and arugula, then arrange the grilled chicken ( or tofu) grilled corn, grilled peppers, sliced avocado and tomatoes around the bowl.

  9. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper ( especially avocado, corn and tomatoes)

  10. Top with cilantro and any of the other garnishes you like.

  11. Spoon the Chipotle Lime dressing over top (you may not need all).

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