Summer is slowly fading which means all the delicious backyard veggies, fresh corn and fresh herbs I grew will also fade away. Before fall settles in I thought I would come up with a dish that we could have year round but would remind me of our hot and lazy summer days. Tex Mex Chicken Salad became my summer reminder.
Chicken salad was one of my favorite meals growing up. My mom made some of the best chicken salad around and always made little blueberry muffins to go with the salad. It took me a while but I mastered make my own wonderful version of chicken salad. Because chicken is so versatile it can be combined with a lot of different ingredients to make a fantastic salad.
Tex Mex Chicken Salad combines black beans, corn (the reason I call it Tex Mex) and avocado along with fresh herbs. Lemon and lime juice help brighten the flavors. As always, my family likes heat so I add a little cayenne or chopped jalapeno peppers to spice up the salad.
Even though summer will fade into fall it doesn’t mean we cannot continue to enjoy the great tastes of summer. Remember, all it takes is a little chicken, a few fresh veggies and memories of those hot, lazy days we enjoyed so much.
Tex Mex Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
4 cooked chicken thighs diced
3 ears fresh corn shucked
2 15oz cans black beans rinsed and drained
5 fresh basil leaves chopped
½ cup small cherry tomatoes
½ cup olive oil
1 ripe avocado diced
1 tbsp red onion diced small
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne (optional)
juice from ½ lemon
juice from ½ lime
Dressing:
Place olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, cayenne, parsley and cilantro in a small bowl. Whisk together.
Salad:
In a large bowl add chicken, corn, avocado, tomatoes, red onion, salt, pepper, chili powder and basil. Pour dressing over salad and gently toss.
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