Red and Green Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Hello good grapes!  Sorry for the lack of posts lately... It's going to be a busy few weeks for me all the way through mid May.  Anyway, despite the lack of posts I have been enjoying this warm weather and great wine!  You know what else goes with warm weather?  Fresh salads.  

This Red and Green Salad (I made the name up myself, am I not so clever?) was my favorite salad until I made tonight's salad - stay tuned.  Anyway, why the name?  Well, all the of the ingredients are either red or green.  I mean, some are technically purple, but if I told you  to add purple cabbage and purple onion to your grocery list, you'd look at me funny.  The grocery list is pretty simple.  I actually used left over ingredients from my fish taco recipe and added a new protein and a can of kidney beans.  

Ingredients:
salad
Avocado, chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves + 1 tbsp, chopped and separated
1/2 small red jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional)
1/4 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small head romaine lettuce, torn to small pieces
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and well rinsed 

 

chicken
1 lb boneless chicken breast
olive oil
pinch kosher salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp cilantro leaves

dressing
1 large naval orange
2 limes
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cilantro (from above)

Preparation:
For salad dressing, pour olive oil into large measuring cup (I used a 2 cup OXO), juice orange and limes.  Add to blender or food processor.  Add cilantro and garlic and puree until smooth.  

Prepare chicken breasts.  Place over foil on baking sheet.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil.   Sprinkle with garlic clove, tablespoon of cilantro, pinch of salt and pieces of remaining orange.  Broil on low for 15-20 minutes.  

Add salad ingredients to bowl.  Top with slices of broiled chicken and dress with the cilantro-lime dressing.  

Pair with unoaked Chardonnay.  Suggestion:  Mer Solei Silver

Enjoy!

Cheers!
Ana