Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless skinless)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ancho or chipotle chile powder
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed limejuice
- 2 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
- 4 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 red onion (slivered or thinly sliced, about 1 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into thin strips, about 2 cups)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (cut into thin strips, about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
- 1 head romaine lettuce (washed, dried thoroughly, thinly sliced)
- 1 1/2 cups homemade cooked black beans (or 1 14-ounce can black beans, quickly rinsed and drained)
- 1 ripe round tomato (seeded and diced)
- 1 large ripe avocado (halved, pitted, meat scooped out and diced)
- 3 scallions (stemmed, white and light green parts thinly sliced)
- 3/4 cup queso fresco (crumbled)
- 6-8 corn tortillas (sliced into 1/2 inch strips)
Preparation
Step 1
Make Ahead: Chicken can be marinated up to 12 hours ahead of time, covered and refrigerated. Vinaigrette can be 5 days in advance, covered and refrigerated.
Place the chicken in a container or baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, limejuice, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the chipotle in adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Whisk together well and pour over the chicken. Turn the chicken over a few times to ensure that it is entirely covered. Let it marinate for 30 minutes or for up to 12 hours (if more than 1/2 hour, cover and place in the refrigerator).
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, until browned and lightly charred. Reduce heat to medium, flip the chicken breasts over and pour 1 cup of the reserved marinade on top. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through but still moist and tender. Remove from the skillet and place on a cutting board. If there are any juices left in the pan, spoon on top of the chicken. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice the chicken into 1/2- to 3/4-inch strips.
Clean and dry the skillet and set it over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and when hot add the red onion and bell peppers. Season with a bit of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned and slightly softened. Remove from the heat.
In a large serving or salad bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, the orange juice, rice vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, and whisk well. Taste for salt and add more if desired. Add the lettuce, black beans, and tomatoes and toss to coat. Top the salad with the grilled chicken, onions and peppers and garnish with the avocados, scallions, crumbled queso fresco and tortilla strips.
For Corn Tortillas: preheat oven to 350ºF.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place the tortilla pieces on the baking sheet. Gently brush or spray the tops with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.