Crunch Lover's Salad

Summer and salads just seem to go together. Randy is fine with main-dish salads. I haven't tried to feed any other harvest helpers "just salad" - even when "just salad" is jam-packed with chicken and avocado, along with a kitchen-sink's load of crunchy ingredients.

The crunch comes from crisp apple, chopped cucumber, peanuts and homemade chili-lime tortilla strips, all tossed into an Asian-blend salad mix. Top it with a chili-lime vinaigrette for just the right blend of sour, sweet and spice.

Even if main dish salads don't make the cut at your house, you can still make the salad as a hearty side dish - with or without the chicken. It would be a nice accompaniment to any grilled entree - beef, fish or chicken.

If you go the side dish route, this would be a good addition to a 4th of July picnic. Our patriotic picnic will likely be in a wheat field (provided we don't get more rain). So maybe I'll take it to the church potluck on Sunday instead.

Enjoy!

Crunch Lover's Salad

with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Serves 2 for main dish salad, many more for side dish

12 oz. bag chopped Asian blend salad mix
1 cup cooked and cubed chicken breast (see notes below)
1 red apple, chopped (I like Jonathan best)
1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp. salted peanuts, chopped

Chili-Lime Tortilla Strips

2 white flour or corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips lengthwise and then cut in half
Extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray
Juice of 1/2 lime
Chili powder
Salt

Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

For chicken:  You may use leftover grilled chicken or, if you live in a larger place with deli chickens, you can use a portion of that. I thawed frozen chicken breasts and marinated in Kraft Zesty Lime Vinaigrette dressing. I then cooked the thawed chicken and dressing in the microwave until done and cut up the chicken. It was delicious, and it added to the lime flavor of this salad.

For Tortilla Strips:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees then add tortilla strips to a bowl. Mist or drizzle with oil or use nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle with lime juice and season generously with chili powder and salt. Toss to coat, then spread out on a baking sheet and bake until crunchy, 7-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the Vinaigrette:  Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. (Or whisk together in a bowl.)

For salad:  Combine the rest of the ingredients. Toss with vinaigrette. Add the cooled, baked tortilla strips, then toss again and serve immediately.

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