September 2, 2021
This Honey Chipotle Chicken Salad is that loaded AF salad that feels like everything but a salad. Are those fried jalapenos on top you ask? Yep, yep they are.
This recipe is a combination of Flavorful chicken, seasoned with a honey chipotle marinade, fresh veggies, grilled veggies and the most delicious spicy honey chipotle vinaigrette dressing. Oh, and some gluten free fried jalapenos just to really take this salad up a notch.
The Ingredients for Honey Chipotle Chicken Salads
Salads can be boring, I get it. But this honey chipotle chicken salad IS the exception. If I had to dream up the perfect grilled chicken salad, it might be this. Here’s what we’ve got going on in your salad bowl:
- Tender and juicy honey chipotle chicken that has been marinated and grilled to perfection
- Lots of fresh veggies. including some crunchy romaine lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, corn and avocado. If you are really wanting to level up this recipe grill the corn. Just do it.
- A little cheddar cheese. Not necessary but totally necessary, right?
- A spicy chipotle honey vinaigrette made with chipotle peppers, honey, a light tasting oil, red wine vinegar, garlic cloves and a few other spices
- And last but certainly not least. Crispy fried jalapenos using gluten free flour. This step is not required but HIGHLY recommended if you like something crunchy to bite into. If you don’t want to take the extra time to fry these up yourself, swap out for some gluten free fried onions for the store. You know the ones you put on green bean casserole? Yeah – those. Or just get our crunch from the pumpkin seeds. that works too!
This recipe is swimming with deliciousness and also a great one to meal prep in advance for your lunch all week. I can promise that you will not get tired of these bowls. Keep reading to learn how to make them!
Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette
This Vinaigrette is the star. Not only is it going to marinate the chicken and make it extra delicious, it’s also the dressing for the salad.
The easiest way to make his honey chipotle vinaigrette is to throw all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Depending on how much dressing you like, you may or may not have extra. If you do, this dressing will store in the fridge for up to 7 days. If the oil solidifies in the fridge, just run your storage container under some hot water to loosen it up or leave out at room temp for a few hours before enjoying.
How to make this recipe Paleo:
If you want to make this recipe paleo, Eliminate the cheese & legumes (beans & corns). It will still be delicious and you can double up on some of the other ingredients to bulk up your salad.
How to serve Salads to Toddlers:
Deconstruct it! Remember that empowering toddlers to become good eaters is to not only continue to expose them to foods they may have rejected in the past. Which is our case is lettuce, with Charlie. But I still put it on his plate every time, and he has slowly started to put pieces in his mouth. He also likes to try bites of my salad which I highly encourage!
Also, some kids might like everything mixed up in a bowl. My toddler like everything separate. He eats more and tries more foods when they are set individually on his plate. If your toddler is not taking to certain foods, try cutting them differently or serving them in different forms. If you grilled your corn on the cob, serving the corn on the cob here would be an option as well.
These plates are BPA free from Amazon. Linked here.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap a picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #eatingataltitude. And of course be sure to follow Eating At Altitude on Instagram. You can also find me on Facebook and Pinterest. xo!
Honey Chipotle Chicken Salads
Ingredients
Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette
- 3/4 C Avocado Oil Sub: Any Light tasting olive oil
- 1/2 C red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
Salad Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 3/4 C grilled corn or 1 cob
- 1/2 C tomatoes
- 1/2 C black beans
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 C cheddar, cubed
- 1/3 C cilantro
Fried Jalapenos
- 1 C jarred jalapenos
- 1/4 C avocado oil
- 3 tbsp cassava flour
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
Instructions
Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette
- Combine all ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Honey Chipotle Grilled Chicken
- Use 3/4 C of the vinaigrette to marinate the chicken breasts. Marinate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
- **Stovetop instructions in the notes** Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F and scrape off any leftover bits from the grates.Place your chicken breasts on your preheated grill, and close the lid. It's important to keep the lid of your grill closed while your chicken is cooking so that no heat escapes. Cook your chicken breast on the grill for 6-8 minutes on one side.After 6-8 minutes flip your chicken breast and cook for 6-8 minutes more. Cook time will vary a bit depending on the size of your chicken breast, so be sure to cook until internal temp reaches 165 ° F.
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes before dicing into cubes
Fried Jalapenos
- Place the pickled jalapenos in a colander to drain and set aside. This will help them not be too wet, but just wet enough to adhere to the flour mixture later.Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.While the skillet is heating, In a shallow bowl, combine the cassava flour & tapioca flour. Stir until well combined and there are no lumps. Pour the pickled jalapenos into the flour mixture. Using a slotted spoon or fork, toss so that the jalapenos are well coated in the mixture.Fry the jalapenos in batches. Do not crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on each side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Set Aside.
Salad Assembly
- Fill bowls with romaine & cilantro. Toss. Top the greens with desired salad ingredients and drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
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Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Heat the oil in a 10-inch or larger skillet, preferably straight-sided and not nonstick (cast iron is a great option), over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes.
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Carefully add the chicken to the hot pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Swirl the pan just before adding the breasts to evenly distribute the oil. Add the chicken one at a time and do not touch, poke, or move the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes. If you try to turn the chicken and it feels stuck, it isn’t golden and crispy or ready to flip.
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Flip the chicken and cook until it reaches 165°F, 5 to 7 minutes more. Flip the breasts over and add the butter or ghee right between them. Pick up the pan and give it a gentle swirl to distribute the melting butter. Cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, 5 to 7 minutes more.
