Ingredients
- 4 cups Romaine lettuce, torn
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 2 fresh corn on the cob
- 2 to 3 corn tortillas (preferably a day or two old)
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4 tbsps queso fresco
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- broth or water
- oil for deep-frying
- creamy cilantro dressing (recipe follows)
Preparation
Step 1
Arrange chicken in single layer on a heavy-bottomed pan. Pour enough water or broth to cover chicken. Add a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then quickly decrease heat to low, keeping water at barely a simmer. Partly cover pot and continue to gently simmer for ten minutes. Completely turn off heat and leave chicken in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from liquid and set aside to cool. Slice to strips.
Over an open flame, roast pepper on stove top until skin is charred. Remove from flame and with a fork, carefully peel burnt skin. Wash under running water, cut open, remove seeds and dice.
Coat a cast iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed pan with a thin film of olive oil and heat until very hot. Remove silky hair from cobs, wash well and pat dry. Shuck each ear by holding point end side down and slicing down on each side with a knife. Arrange in a single layer on hot pan and cook, WITHOUT STIRRING, until brown, around 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
In a pan, heat about an inch deep of oil. Cut corn tortillas into half and then lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown and crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
Divide romaine lettuce on four salad plates. Top with poached chicken, cut corn, roasted peppers, tortilla strips and quesco fresco. Drizzle with creamy cilantro dressing and serve with warm pita bread or flour tortillas.
Creamy Cilantro Dressing (from ISLY)
Makes 1 Quart
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 tsp jalapeno pepper, seeded and crushed
1 Ranch dressing mix packet
2 garlic cloves
3 tomatillos
In a blender, place all ingredients and process until smooth. Allow to stand for a few minutes for flavors to meld.