Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

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This Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad is flavor/texture heaven! This Salad is bursting with tender, juicy chicken, all your favorite salad fixings including crunchy, salty tortilla chips and the zesty, out of this world, must make, cilantro lime dressing.  

Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade

Serves 2

  • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness
  • 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tsp EACH chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, salt, pepper, sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Add all marinade ingredients to your food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down sides several times. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons for basting (if making salad, you will use 1 tablespoon for basting, 1 tablespoon for dressing).
  • Add the remaining marinade to a shallow dish or large freezer bag. Add chicken and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 2-10 hours.
  • When ready to cook, remove chicken from fridge and let sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes. Cook Chicken

Salad

  • Cilantro Lime Chicken, sliced
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or 2 roma tomatoes, chopped)
  • 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
  • corn from 2 ears sweet corn (raw)
  • 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese or more to taste
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • Tortilla Chips, slightly crushed or tortilla strips to taste (the more the better!)
  • Prepare Cilantro Lime Chicken according to directions, reserving 1 tablespoon marinade for dressing. Slice or chop cooked chicken.
  • SEE BELOW. Blend together all of the Dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, including the 1 tablespoon reserved Cilantro Lime Marinade. Store in the refrigerator. Best if chilled at least 30 minutes. May keep in an airtight container up to 7 days.
  • To assemble, add the Salad Ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle individual servings with desired amount of dressing. Season with additional salt, pepper, hot sauce and/or lime juice to taste.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

  • 1/3 cup packed cilantro
  • 2 tomatillos husks removed and roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeno deveined, seeded, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 cup real mayonnaise
  • 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice 
  • 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix (1 oz. packet)
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
  • Milk as needed
  • Add all of the ingredients to a blender puree until smooth, scraping sides down as needed. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
  • Chill before serving (a must!). Dressing will thicken in the refrigerator so you may need to whisk in some milk before serving. This Cilantro Lime Dressing stores well for about 5-7 days.

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