Easy Family Recipes: Southwest Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

This recipe has a long list of ingredients, but don’t let that scare you. It is a salad after all! Though your shopping list may be a little longer, your time spent on cooking and assembly will be brief. The secret to this dish is the homemade chipotle dressing. Making your own dressing, even a creamy version, will elevate the flavor of your dish, and without a ton of effort. I like to double or triple most dressing recipes, then store them in the fridge to enjoy for a several days. If you are concerned about the heat, start with just 1 teaspoon of the chipotle pepper/adobo sauce, for a bit of smokiness without too much heat. You can always add more if you’d like to kick it up!

Southwest Style Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with Creamy Chipotle Vinaigrette

Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes

Creamy Chipotle Vinaigrette:

• 1/3 cup Mazola Corn Oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons canned chipotle in adobo sauce (can reduce to 1 t. to make less spicy)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup cilantro

Salad:

• 8 cups bite-size mixed salad greens
• 2 cups sliced, grilled chicken
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch strips
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 4 hard boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise
• 2 small avocados, sliced
• 1/4 cup red onion slivers
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican style cheese

Recipe note: Substitute grilled hanger steak slices or shrimp in place of chicken.

Recipe courtesy of Ingrid Hoffmann & Mazola.