Mexican Recipes from www.EagleKnights.com

SPRING GRILLED CHICKEN AND AVOCADO SALAD

You might want to read this all the way through as there are some tips at the bottom on how to do things at the top.  :-)

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, washed, patted dry
4 to 6 vine-ripened roma or pear-shaped tomatoes, blanched, skin and seeds removed, cut into medium dice
1 large red pepper, roasted to blacken the skin, placed in a bowl and covered with plastic wrap until cool, skin and seeds removed, cut into medium dice
1 small red onion, peeled, finely diced
1 small jicama, peeled, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
1/4 cup green onions, green part only, diced
Tabasco sauce to taste, if desired
2 avocados, cut in half, seeds removed, then diced
4 cups baby salad greens
Preheat the grill or broiler.

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve and set aside.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place on the grill, cooking until well seared, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking until done, about 4 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then cut into a large dice.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, red pepper, onion and jicama. Add the chicken, chopped cilantro and scallions.

Pour half of the lime-olive oil dressing over this mixture, season well with salt, pepper and Tabasco, if desired, tossing to combine. Add the avocado and toss only to combine, being careful not to mash the avocado.

In a medium bowl, combine the greens and the remaining dressing, tossing to coat. Place the greens artistically in the center of your serving plates. Divide and mound the chicken-avocado salad onto the center of the greens. Sprinkle with the cilantro leaves and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

• Preparing a ripe avocado: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise around the seed, then twist the two halves to separate. Carefully stick the base of the knife blade into the seed. Twist the knife with the seed attached to remove it. Using a paring knife, slice parallel and opposing cuts through the avocado flesh, but not through the skin, into an even grid of dice. Turn the avocado skin inside-out to eject the dice.

  Tricks of the trade: Avocado flesh will brown after being peeled or scooped, so rub the exposed surfaces with lemon or lime juice or vinegar to slow the process.  

  Preparing the ingredients: The key to making this salad beautiful is a precise medium-size dice of ingredients. Though you can use your favorite ingredients, here are my suggestions to provide flavor as well as color and texture:

• Red is best provided by diced vine-ripened tomatoes or roasted red peppers. Blanch the tomato skin and remove, cut in half and remove the seeds before dicing the meat. Roast the red peppers until the skin is black, then transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool. Remove the skin and seeds, then dice.
  
• Green is provided by the avocado, but you can add spicy green chiles such as poblano, anaheim, serrano or jalapeno. Green onions, chives and cilantro are also great herbs in this dish.
  
• White may be provided by red onions for flavor. Jicama adds color and a crunchy texture.

  Making the salad: Carefully toss all of the vegetables together in a large bowl and assemble the rest of the ingredients.

  Start by grilling the chicken, then allow it to cool slightly and cut it into a medium dice. Add the chicken to the vegetables. Add the seasonings, herbs, lime juice and Tabasco until well seasoned. Lastly, add the avocado, tossing just to combine so that the avocado does not get mashed.

  Presenting the salad: Lay a few favorite greens that have been tossed in dressing onto the center of the plate. Artistically mound the salad atop the greens and garnish with fresh herbs.