I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner last night, and had an avocado to use. My Green Chile Chicken pasta dish came to mind, but since it was nearly 100 degrees yesterday, I thought it would be nice to have something lighter, so why not take the flavor profiles that I like in my pasta dish, remove the heavy cheese sauce, and translate the dish into a lighter summer salad? Thus, the Green Chile Chicken Salad was born. The recipe uses all of the same ingredients as my original recipe, only substituting the pasta base for lettuce. I still get the smoky, spiciness of the chiles and paprika, and the cooling effect of the avocado, but in a much more summer-friendly presentation.
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cubed
- 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced (today I had criminis, so used those instead. Use whatever mushroom you have on hand)
- 1 – 4 oz can diced green chilies
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp fresh or dried chopped parsley
- Splash of dry white wine to deglaze the pan (optional)
- Sprinkle grated Pepper-Jack cheese or cheese of your choice
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 medium avocado, diced
- Lime juice
- Bag of prepared salad mix
PREPARATION:
- Add olive oil to skillet: 2 turns around the pan, then add the chicken, green chilies and garlic, add salt and pepper, and sauté until chicken is almost cooked, then add in mushrooms and cook until done
- For dressing: put the sour cream and diced avocado in a food processor with a pinch of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lime and mix until it becomes a smooth dressing
- Serve the chicken on top of the salad mix and top with the avocado dressing and grated cheese to your taste.
Makes 2 entree-sized salads.
