Southwestern Chicken Salad

My mom was wanting me to make a salad tonight with a few different ingredients...After a bit of thought, I realized I could make a Southwestern Chicken Salad. One like I order at a local fast food chain, but with less than half the calories.
Here's what I came up with...


SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN SALAD

• 4 BL/SL Chicken Breasts
• 1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro
• 1 Bunch of Green Onions
• 2 Cans of Black Beans
• 2 Cans of Yellow Corn
• 1 Jicama
• 4 Roma Tomatoes

DRESSING

• 1 C. Light Sour Cream
• 1 C. FF Milk
• 3 TBS. Hidden Valley Ranch Mix (my preference)
• 1 TBS. The Pampered Chef's Chipotle Rub

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together & let them sit in the refrigerator before starting on the salad so it can set up and the flavors can marry.

SALAD DIRECTIONS
BBQ the chicken, seasoning with The Pampered Chef's Southwestern Seasoning Mix. Set aside after cooked thoroughly! (You can check the temp with the Digital Pocket Thermometer.)
While the chicken is cooking, get all your vegis washed up. I like to put my lettuce & cilantro into the bowl of the Salad & Berries Spinner. Then I put the cilantro into the berries colander, spin. Then the lettuce into the salad colander and spin. It helps to get your green dry, which prevents a soggy, wilted salad!
Cut up all your green vegis and throw them into the 8-qt. Stainless Mixing Bowl (just an FYI, this bowl is my GO TO bowl for EVERYTHING! It is ginormous...and it will be discontinued soon!) Open up your beans & corn. Strain them both in the colander. Rinsing the black beans before spinning them. Toss them into the salad mix.
Now take your jicama & slice it in half. Taking the Serrated Peeler to the skin, makes it a breeze to clean up! Now slice it into 1/4" slices lengthwise, then again going the other way to make strips. Toss those into the bowl.
Cut your tomato to your liking, as well as the chicken. Toss them both in.
Toss the salad together. Serve on a dish and drizzle the dressing on top!

*just a reminder...I cook for a family of 7, 4 adults and 3 children. This recipe was specifically measured for around 10-1Cup servings. Please adapt for your family.*

Almost Panera Bread's Black Bean Soup

There are lots of recipes out there, but this is my rendition on the recipe...
I am using dried black beans, well because I have a lot and I just like fresh beans.

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery ribs, coursely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 small Chicken Boullion Cubes (or 2 cups of fresh Chicken Stock)
• 1-1 1/2 cup Water
• 1 lb black beans
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Soak black beans overnight in a bowl full of water. If you forget to soak, then add the beans to boiling water, remove from heat and let soak for 2 hours. Once soaked, drain and rinse.
Add the soaked and rinsed beans to large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Add Salt & Cumin.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about an hour.
Take half of the beans and blend them in the blender & return them to the pot.
Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, lemon juice, and chicken stock in with the beans.
Combine the corn starch with 1 1/2 TBS of water, mix and add to the pot with the lemon.
Cooked until thickened.
You may top with a fresh salsa, sour cream or whatever your heart desires. I made Yeast Rolls to go with it.

Spin with Ortega Chiles

Chicken & Ortega Chiles
~Chicken Breasts (how ever many your family will eat)
~1 Can Ortega (or whatever brand you can get) Whole Chiles
Seasonings; salt, pepper, chipotle rub (contact me to buy)

Season the chicken & place on the grill. Grill on both sides, about 15 mins each. Open up the chiles & place on top while grilling. When you flip, place another chile on top again.


Jasmine Rice w/ Black Beans & Chiles
~Jasmine Rice (amount you need for your family), cooked according to directions
~1- 2 Cans of Black Beans, drained & rinsed
~3 Ortega Chiles
~Salt & Pepper

Once you make your Jasmine Rice, add in the beans & chiles, salt & pepper. Mix in a big bowl so air can flow through & the rice doesn't become sticky and turn into masa.


I placed the chicken on top and served together. It was a hit!