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Grilled Ancho Chicken Taco Salad

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This Grilled Ancho Chicken Taco Salad is a lighter take on traditional taco salad. Chicken breasts are tossed in a smokey ancho spice blend, grilled and tossed with vegetables like corn, tomatoes and peppers. Serve wit crushed tortilla chips and homemade Catalina dressing.
Course Salads
Cuisine Tex Mex
Keyword ancho, chicken, salad, taco
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 555
Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

THE MARINADE:

  • 2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chili pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

FOR THE SALAD

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 1 roma tomatoes seeded and diced
  • 1 ear sweet corn cooked and kernels removed
  • 1/2 red onion sliced very thin
  • 1 handful cilantro chopped
  • 2 cups blue corn tortilla chips crushed
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup catalina salad dressing
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • lime wedges for serving
  • hot sauce for serving

Instructions

For the Marinade and Chicken:

  • Preheat your grill to 450°.
  • Mince garlic and combine it with the ancho chili pepper, salt, pepper in a shallow dish.
  • Drizzle in the olive oil and thin out with a tablespoon of water.
  • Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat on both sides well. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
  • Grill the chicken on each side 3 to 6 minutes per side - depending on thickness. Alternatively you could do this in a skillet or grill pan. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes -tented under foil - before slicing into bite size strips.

For the Salad:

  • Combine the chopped lettuce, bell pepper, tomatoes, corn, onion and cilantro in a large mixing bowl.
  • Serve the salad onto a plate and top with sliced cooked chicken, crushed tortilla chips and slices of avocado.
  • Drizzle with catalina dressing, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce and a squeeze of lime.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad | Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 1389mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 19704IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 4mg