Arugula (also known as rocket or roquette) is a crisp and peppery cruciferous vegetable. Its slender, lobular leaves are packed with fiber and vitamins such as folate, C, E, and K. Like all cruciferous vegetables, arugula is also rich in phytonutrients believed to reduce the risk of cancer.
This week’s recipe for Lime and Cilantro Chicken Salad puts a lively south of the border twist on chicken salad just in time for Cinco De Mayo. It was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She has been sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I feel a recipe is only a theme which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.”
– Madam Benoit
Lime and Cilantro Chicken Salad
Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook, John Clem and Michael Northern (2005)
Ingredients
- Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (aka rice vinegar) (unseasoned rice wine vinegar is made by fermenting the sugars in rice first into alcohol, and then into acid. Seasoned rice wine vinegar is made from sake or by adding sugar and salt to regular rice wine vinegar [¼ cup rice wine vinegar + 4 tsp sugar + ½ tsp kosher salt])
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons puréed chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (chipotle chiles [smoke-dried jalapeños] packed in adobo sauce [ground chile, herbs, tomato, and vinegar] are available canned in most grocery stores)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup canola oil
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems and leaves
- Salad
- 3 ears corn, shucked and grilled or boiled
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked, and cut into strips (my personal preference is bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. Either freshly grilled or leftover chicken can be used)
- 1½ cups diced plum tomatoes (cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes without the watery seeds can be substituted)
- ½ cup chopped roasted red bell pepper (to roast a bell pepper, place on a charcoal or gas grill or directly on a gas stove burner, and roast, turning when each side has blackened and blistered. Place in a plastic or paper bag until cool enough to handle, then peel away the skins. Cut in half and remove stem, seeds, and ribs. In a pinch, jarred roasted red bell peppers are available in most grocery stores. Or you could just substitute fresh peppers)
- 1 pound mixed baby greens including arugula
- 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated jack cheese
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- ¾ cup toasted salted pumpkin seeds (crispy tortilla strips can be added or substituted)
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
- In a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chipotle chile, honey, and salt, and process until thoroughly combined and smooth. (Note: For efficiency, you can process the ingredients in steps—first the whole garlic clove, then chipotle chile pieces with adobo, and finally the rest of the ingredients.) With the machine running, gradually add the oil in a thin steady stream to form an emulsion. Add the cilantro and pulse or process to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Salad
- Cut the corn kernels from the cobs: Working with 1 ear at a time, stand it upright with the stem end down on a cutting board. (Note: To keep the kernels corralled, the cob can also be placed upright in a shallow bowl.) Using a sharp knife, cut downward along the cob, removing the kernels, and rotating the cob after each cut. Put the kernels in a large salad bowl. You should have ~2 cups.
- Add the chicken, tomatoes, greens, jack cheese, and bell pepper to the corn. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat the ingredients. Season to taste and salt and pepper. Using tongs, transfer the salad to chilled salad bowls or plates, building height in the center. Scatter pumpkin seeds over each serving. Pass lime wedges at the table.
- Note: This is a really good salad and dressing that still seems to be very popular at Nordstrom cafés.