Ensalada Latina Recipe
Lettuce, black beans, corn, pears, queso blanco, tomatoes, crunchy chips strips and cilantro tossed in creamy ranch dressing; topped with grilled chicken breast and drizzle balsamic glaze
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Ingredients
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Salad Base
Grilled Chicken
Creamy Ranch Dressing
Finish & Garnish
Method
Grilled Chicken
Pound and season
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If breasts are uneven, lightly pound to even thickness (about 1/2 inch) so they cook evenly.
Combine olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Brush or rub mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature while preparing other components (or up to 30 minutes refrigerated).
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (about 400°F/200°C). Oil the grates or pan lightly.
Grill chicken 4–6 minutes per side, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Remove from grill and let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2-inch thick strips.
Salad Base
Prepare the romaine lettuce: rinse, spin or pat dry, and chop or tear into bite-size pieces. Place in a large salad bowl.
Add drained black beans and corn to the bowl and gently toss to distribute.
Core and dice the pear into 1/2-inch pieces; dice the tomato. Add pear and tomato to the salad bowl.
Add the queso blanco cubes or crumbles, chopped cilantro (from the Salad Base list), and crunchy tortilla chip strips. Toss gently to combine but keep chips relatively intact for crunch.
Creamy Ranch Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, lime juice, finely chopped cilantro, dried dill, onion powder, minced garlic, salt and black pepper until smooth and slightly runny. Taste and adjust salt or lime as desired.
If dressing is too thick, thin with an additional teaspoon or two of buttermilk or water to reach desired consistency.
Reserve about 2–3 tablespoons of dressing for drizzling over the plated salad; toss the remaining dressing with the salad base until evenly coated (use as much as you prefer).
Finish & Serve
Divide the dressed salad among 2 plates or shallow bowls (servings).
Top each portion with sliced grilled chicken breast, arranging strips across the salad.
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze over each plated salad in a thin zigzag. Add reserved dressing drizzle if desired.
Garnish with extra cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately so tortilla strips remain crunchy.