Grilled Chicken Taco Salad, II; welcome smiles

It can be a compliment to become mildly famous, among one’s family and friends for a particular dish.

It can also be a frustrating, irritating, never-ending pain in the …..

My mother was well-known for her Devil’s Food cake – which she loved to make. Whenever there was a family get together my aunt, her sister, was begged for her donuts, which she always happily made.

One of my cousins made the best Taco Salad and it was her only acceptable contribution to any family picnic.

She hated it. She hated making it, she hated eating it, and she hated the fact that it was the only thing she could make to keep the family happy.

I know this because I made the mistake of asking her. It was at a big, summer pool party at my house. We were in the kitchen getting the food ready and she was putting the finishing touches on the salad. I, naively, said ‘Oh wonderful! You brought your Taco Salad.’

After listening to her for 5 minutes I no longer had the courage to ask for the recipe.

I think of her every time I make a taco salad…. Which, tends to be rather often in summer as I still love them.

Click here to Pin Grilled Chicken Taco Salad, II

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad, II

Print Recipe

This salad does not have a ‘vinaigrette’ but the lettuce is simply tossed with vinegar & oil before finishing.

• Author: Kate
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Salad

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbs sherry vinegar
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup (2.2oz, 65gr) Basmati rice
• 2/3 cup (5oz, 150ml) chicken stock
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbs fresh
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) tomato sauce
• 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced, then quartered
• 2oz (60gr) feta, cut into cubes
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Lettuce – enough for 2 main meal salads
• 2 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs salad olive oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Cook rice in stock according to package directions, usually 15 minutes.
• When done, remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork.
• Combine vinegar, 2 tbs olive oil and Worcestershire.
• Pour over chicken and marinate for 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 tbs oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add paprika, cumin, chili powder and sauté briefly (20 seconds).
• Add onion, pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté for 5 minutes longer.
• Add tomato sauce, oregano, and stir to combine.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Remove chicken from marinade and cook on barbecue for 14 – 18 minutes, turning once.
• When done remove and slice.
• Put the lettuce in a large salad bowl.
• Add salad olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, and toss to coat.
• Arrange rice in the center of the lettuce.
• Top with the tomato sauce mixture.
• Arrange chicken on top.
• Surround with tomato slices, avocado slices, add feta and serve.

Notes

Substitute regular or hot paprika for the smoked; and use any cheese you like.
We skip the taco bowl and add a bit of rice to make it a complete dinner salad.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
• Calories: 990
• Sugar: 19.1 g
• Sodium: 543 mg
• Fat: 58.9 g
• Saturated Fat: 12.2 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 68.4 g
• Fiber: 17.4 g
• Protein: 55.3 g
• Cholesterol: 149.3 mg

Keywords: chicken salad, taco salad, chicken taco salad

My cousin might have liked this one….

We went for a bike ride today.

Our weather is still the kind where one packs a rain jacket and debates over long sleeves.

It was gray and dull.

It’s also the big holiday month so the trails were busy. Probably due to the pandemic it was busy with families and campers pulling trailers behind their bikes.

I normally hate it when it’s busy.

Today it was wonderful….

Even with the dreary weather it was good to be out and good to see people out. It was fun to see the little kids on the tandem bikes behind their parents trying to keep their feet on the peddles.

It was good to see so many smiling people.