Capital Chicken Salad

This terrific recipe for Capital Chicken Salad was created by Chefs Jeffrey and Sallie Buben, Vidalia, Washington, DC.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Marinade (recipe follows)
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
4 tablespoons diced green chiles
2 avocados, peeled, diced
2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, diced
1 head romaine lettuce, cut in thin strips
1/2 cup Spicy Lime Dressing (recipe follows)
28 blue corn tortilla chips
4 teaspoons sour cream
4 tablespoons bottled tomato salsa

Cooking Directions:

1. Place chicken in marinade and refrigerate about 4 hours.
2. On prepared grill, cook chicken about 10 minutes, turning once, or sauté in heavy frypan sprayed with vegetable spray.
3. In large bowl, mix together garbanzo beans, chiles, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce and Spicy Lime Dressing; gently toss.
4. On individual plates or bowls, arrange 6 tortilla chips around edge with portion of salad mixture in center. Cut each chicken breast half into 4 or 5 strips and place on top with l tortilla chip in center topped with 1 teaspoon sour cream and l tablespoon salsa.

Makes 4 servings.

Marinade: In blender, place 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple juice, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 4 cloves garlic, 4 tablespoons ground chili, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin. Blend until smooth.

Spicy Lime Dressing: In blender, place 1/4 clove garlic, 1/2 shallot, 1/2 teaspoon ground chili, 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 3/4 teaspoon pureed ancho chili, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper . Process on medium speed, slowly adding 1/2 cup peanut oil.

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