Once Upon a Time in Mexico Chicken Salad with Jalapeño-Lime Dressing
Austin's Alamo Drafthouse promotes movie director Robert Rodriguez's movies, especially his 2003 Western cult favorite Once Upon a Time in Mexico. The Antonio Banderas film has earned a permanent spot on their restaurant menu with this tasty chicken salad recipe.
This recipe is from the excellent cookbook, Austin Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Texas Capital.
Ingredients:
Dressing:- 4 fresh jalapeños
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ cups olive oil
- 3 ounces (or 2 ½ cups) mixed salad greens
- ½ julienned jicama
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ avoccado, sliced
- 1 (4-ounce) chicken breast, grilled, baked or pan-fried, and sliced
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¾ cup crispy tortilla strips
Preparation:
- For the dressing, roast the jalapeños on a grill until the skins blacken and peel, about 4 to 8 minutes.
- Place them in a container and cover tightly for about 30 minutes.
- Peel and seed the jalapeños, using gloves.
- Combine the jalapeños, lime zest, mustard, vinegar and salt in a food processor or blender, and blend until it is a smooth puree.
- With the processor running, pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream to emulsify.
- Dressing will keep for two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- For the salad, place the greens in a large salad bowl.
- Toss evenly with 1 1/2 tablespoons jalapeño-lime dressing. Top with jicama, red onion and avocado slices.
- Place warm chicken slices fanned across the center.
- Sprinkle with cotija cheese and top with a stack of crispy tortilla chips.
Kitchen tools you'll need for Once Upon a Time in Mexico Chicken Salad with Jalapeño-Lime Dressing
:
Food Processors, Mixing Bowls
Ready in: 1 Hr 30 Min