Hen Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime French dressing

All of the flavors and toppings that you recognize and love from a traditional taco salad, however lightened up just a little for one thing contemporary and scrumptious. It’s loaded with all the good things and that cilantro-lime French dressing? You’ll wish to maintain a jar of it in your fridge always.

Searching for extra daring salads? Strive our Chicken Fajita Salad or Mojo Chicken Salad.

Why Our Recipe

Deliciously seasoned hen that makes use of fundamental pantry spices.
A do-it-yourself cilantro-lime French dressing you’ll wish to drizzle on all the things.
Filled with beans, avocado, tomatoes, pink onion, corn, and olives.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette being poured over Chicken Taco Salad. — Hen Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime French dressing 35

Whereas tacos are a conventional Mexican meals, taco salad is definitely an American invention. This dish was created by the Fritos firm within the Sixties. Though the founding father of Fritos was Mexican, he designed taco salad as a intelligent method to make use of Fritos chips as a bowl. We’re at all times okay with the unique model as a result of it’s completely scrumptious. Our model is a good possibility for these wanting one thing just a little lighter with out the Fritos.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette. — Hen Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime French dressing 36

Hen Tenders: Good for fast cooking and so handy for a salad. You would additionally use hen breasts or thighs. They’ll simply require an extended cooking time.
Lime Juice: Recent lime juice is at all times going to have one of the best taste. Bottled lime juice may also be used. There are about 2 tablespoons of lime juice in 1 lime, however that may differ.
Spices: We use a mix of chili powder, floor cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, or use 2 1/2 teaspoons of taco seasoning.
Olive Oil: Retains the hen from sticking to the pan whereas cooking. Use any impartial cooking oil like avocado, canola, or vegetable.
Recent Cilantro: Attempt to pass over many of the stems and measure the leaves loosely packed.
Additional Virgin Olive Oil: Since it is a dressing, you’ll style the oil so that you wish to use the good things with additional virgin olive oil. Generally individuals may even use avocado oil for dressings as a result of it has a buttery taste which additionally works in a dressing.
Crimson Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be utilized as an alternative in the identical quantity.
Combined Greens: That spring salad combine is one in all our favourite blends, however you may actually use any mix you’d like. Chopped romaine works nice and so does spinach.

Extra Topping Concepts

The beauty of salads is that you may combine and match toppings to your coronary heart’s content material! For our taco salad, we use kidney beans, corn (frozen, although contemporary or canned may also be used), pink onion, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, and avocado.

Black beans instead of the kidney beans. You would additionally load it up with crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, pickled jalapenos, pickled red onions, and even toss on these tortilla strips.

A forkful of Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette hovering over a bowl of salad. — Hen Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime French dressing 37

Meal Prep & Storage Directions

Pre-Prepare dinner Hen: Prepare dinner the hen forward of time and refrigerate.
Meeting: Assemble the salad with out the dressing and retailer it within the fridge. Add the dressing and avocado simply earlier than serving.

You may retailer undressed salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as two days, however salad that already has dressing on it doesn’t maintain lengthy within the fridge and can get soggy rapidly.