This Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad with Creamy Chipotle-Cilantro dressing is a Tex-Mex spin on the traditional Cobb Salad. Filling and hearty, yet light and substantial, this salad is lip-smacking-delicious!
Hiya friends! How has your week been?
Mine has been… fine. Nothing eventful.
Even now as I sit here, trying to think of something witty to write, I can’t stop myself from staring out the window at the endless rain and thinking about how much I need a vacation. I need to do something noteworthy. It has been about 5 years since Boy and I took a vacation somewhere. FIVE. You’d agree I need a vacation, right?
Consequently, I have been researching North Carolina beaches for the hubster and I to get away to, and I’m thinking Wrightsville beach just might be the place for us to get a little R&R. So, for all you NC residents, or anyone who has vacationed here, are there any beaches you suggest? Since we are new to N to the C I’m completely open to recommendations! So please leave a comment below and help a sista’ out.
Anyways, I’ll try to focus long enough to discuss what you guys are here for. The food.
If you follow this blog, you know in my last post I told you guys I made something with that fantastic fajita flavored hummus. And here it is.
Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad
Have you guys tried crusting your chicken with hummus yet? If you haven’t, OMG, you absolutely must. Like, immediately. It’s seriously the easiest thing ever, but the flavor is spot on. Simply, and generously, slather the hummus right on top of the chicken and bake.
Boom. Hummus crusted chicken.
Doooo it!
Anyways, you guys, this salad is lip-smackin’-good! It is filling and hearty, yet light and substantial. It’s kind of like a Cobb salad… gone fajita.
You have crisp, cool lettuce and cabbage; warm, thinly sliced bell peppers and onions; creamy avocado, herbaceous cilantro; funky, salty cotija cheese, fresh pico de gallo, spicy rings of jalapenos, crunchy tortilla chips and that tender, juicy, flavor rockin’ hummus crusted chicken. This salad is a mixture of textures and flavors, making it feast for the taste buds.While all that salad-y jazz is fantastic and all, you can’t have a salad without a dressing.
This salad is spruced up with a Chipotle-Cilantro Dressing. Creamy, smooth, slightly spicy, a bit smoky, a touch tangy and a hint sweet, the dressing pairs wonderfully with, and enhances, the fajita flavors in the salad. But before you go off and have a salad fiesta, I have a few notes for you:
I always quick brine my chicken breasts before baking. Always. It only takes 15 minutes and it makes your chicken super tender. All you need to do is fill a large bowl with 1 quart of lukewarm water and stir in 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add the chicken breasts and allow to brine for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, rinse and pat dry. Viola. No more dry chicken for you!
When you are coating the (brined) chicken breasts with hummus you want to be generous. Don’t be stingy with the hummus. Plentifully slather it on. The more hummus the better. <img src="http://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f609.png" alt="