Time: 45 minutes
Feeds: 2 people
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breast
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 ears of corn
- 2 tbsp butter
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 packet of ranch seasoning (or 1 oz if taking from a bulk container)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 can chipotles in adobo
- Romaine lettuce, chopped
- Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on their size
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Tortilla chips, for crunchy topping if desired
Directions: Start with putting together the salad dressing. I like to make a chipotle ranch for this dressing but a tangy oil based dressing would be great too. Make the dressing according to packet directions (for hidden valley ranch seasoning packets, it’s the packet along with a cup of mayo and a cup of whole milk. Next, open a can of chipotle peppers in adobo and fish out some of the adobo sauce. You’ll want to add the adobo based on the spice level that you’re looking for so use your best judgment. Set aside to let the flavors develop while you’re working on the rest of the prep.
Next, you can prep and cook your chicken. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat the chicken breasts liberally in taco seasoning and set aside. Place a medium, oven-safe skillet on the stove over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the avocado oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and sear one side for about 3-5 minutes or until some nice color has formed. Flip the chicken and immediately transfer it to the oven in the same skillet. I like to use an oven safe thermometer so I can keep an eye on the temperature of the chicken. The chicken should be pulled from the oven at 155-160 degrees so it can rest up to 165 degrees. Set aside until ready to slice and assemble with the salad.
Next, you’ll need to prep the corn. Slice the corn off the cob and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a medium skillet and get that melting over medium heat. Add your corn and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sautée and continue cooking over medium heat until the corn has cooked through and developed some color, about 7-10 minutes. Remove the corn from the skillet and set aside until it’s time to assemble the salad.
Now it’s just a matter of assembling the salad. Starting with the lettuce in the bottom of the bowl, add the sliced chicken, cooked corn, tomatoes, avocado, black beans, cheese, and tortilla chips. Toss with your desired amount of dressing and enjoy!