Mexican Chicken Salad

 I just love roasting a chicken. It's one of life's honest pleasures. The grease is really what does it for me. Pulling the chicken out of the oven, you "oh" and "aww" for the crispy golden outside.The skin, the gravy. It all adds up to be heaven on a plate.

The grease is also like a carriage that turns into a pumpkin at midnight. It's glory has a very short shelf life. The sparkling skin from the chicken emerges from the refrigerator a gross leathery floppy thing no one would dare eat.

But there is a whole chicken that is still so tasty. Mourn the loss of the skin. There is nothing we can do to make that better right now. There are so many good things to make with the rest of the chicken. Chicken salad is always a safe bet. I love my typical chicken salad recipe, but I was in the mood for something a bit more festive.

This Mexican chicken salad hit the spot. Corn, tomatoes and cilantro give this a great freshness while the beans and cheese make it hearty for a filling meal. This salad is a great healthy lunch idea you will adore almost as much gravy. Almost.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons ranch dressing

3 Tablespoons salsa

1 lime, juiced

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

1 1/2 cups corn

1 1/2 cups black beans

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup cheese, cut into small cubes

1/4 cilantro leaves, chopped

lettuce leaves and tortilla chips for serving (optional)

First, combine the ranch dressing, salsa and the lime juice in a large bowl. Then add in the other ingredients and toss to coat everything well. If it seems a bit dry for your liking, add in a little more salsa and ranch. 

 

This would also be crazy good as a wrap or even heated up over nachos. But I love to eat this with plenty of chips crumbled over the top. It's so fresh and tasty!

 

Enjoy!