Border Black Bean Chicken Salad

This terrific recipe for Border Black Bean Chicken Salad was submitted by Amelia Meaux, Crowley, LA.

Recipe Ingredients:

Dressing:
1/3 cup tomato vegetable juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Salad:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 2-inch strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peeled and seeded cucumber cubes
1 cup sweet red pepper strips
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/2 cup chopped red onion
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
Dressing (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
Tomato rose (optional)
Parsley sprigs (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. For Dressing: In small bowl, mix together tomato vegetable juice, lime juice, oil, cumin and salt; set aside.
2. For Salad: In large frypan, place olive oil and heat to medium temperature. Add chicken and stir-fry about 2 minutes or until fork tender. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper and salt; stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove chicken mixture from frypan and place in a large salad bowl.
3. To chicken, add cucumber, red pepper, tomato, onion, lettuce and black beans.
4. Add Dressing to frypan and heat over medium heat until slightly warm.
5. Pour warm Dressing over salad ingredients, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with pecans and garnish with tomato rose and parsley, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe provided courtesy of the National Chicken Council. Used with permission.