BBQ Chicken Salads w/ Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

This is a great summer salad!   The best part is you can make the chicken ahead of time and use as much as you need.  This chicken also freezes well, so I freeze individual size portions of chicken so I can pull out exactly what I need!

Serves 4-6

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken **
2 cups BBQ sauce

3 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 red onion diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed small or shredded
4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cubed small or shredded

Crispy tortilla strips (optional)

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing  

** The chicken can be cooked ahead of time in a crockpot.  Place 4 chicken breasts in a crockpot with 2-3 cups of chicken stock or water and cook on high for 5-6 hours.  Shred the chicken and save for later use.  Chicken can also be placed in freezer.

Combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together the iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red onion, cilantro, corn, black beans, tomatoes, and cheese.

Toss the mixed salad with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the dressing, if desired. Otherwise, you can serve the dressing on the side.

Place salad on plates and top with the prepared BBQ chicken and tortilla strips and additional dressing.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  You can also combine in a mixing bowl and whisk (or shake, if using a jar) vigorously to combine.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

I love this recipe.  It's a little messy to make with the frying, but it is the best homemade sweet and sour chicken I've ever had.  I'm not usually a fan of Asian food made at home, I always feel its better at the restaurant, but this is one that is on the regular rotation at our house.  Serve with rice and egg rolls and it's just like takeout!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Onion, cut into chunks
• Green pepper, cut into chunks
• Pineapple

Sauce:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish.

Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.  Add in onion.

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees.   Add in green pepper and pineapple for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Source: My Happy Meals

Crispy Chicken Tacos

When I found this recipe, I knew it was going to be a favorite.  We all love Mexican food, but get bored with tacos and enchiladas and we like to try something new.  These crispy chicken tacos were perfect!  A cross between a tacquito and a hard taco, they were enjoyed by everyone.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Chicken Breasts, diced
• Salt, Cumin, Chili Powder To Taste (or Use Taco Seasoning)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• 1-½ cup Finely Grated Cheese (cheddar Or Cheddar/jack Mix)
• Sour Cream
• Hot Sauce (optional)
• Thinly Sliced Romaine Lettuce (or Any Lettuce)
• Tomatoes, Diced
• Canola Oil, For Frying Tacos

Season diced chicken liberally. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the diced green chilies. Stir and cook until chicken is totally done inside. Turn off heat and set aside.

Have all other ingredients—grated cheese, sliced lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce—ready.
Also have a plate ready, as well as a stack of five or six paper towels to hold in your hand.

**Be very careful when frying with hot oil!**

To fry the tacos, heat a couple of inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place some chicken in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Clamp the tortilla shut with a pair of heat-proof metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco—one side down—in the oil.

As you lay it in the oil, use the tongs to hold the top side down for a few seconds to form it in place. Once it stays put, repeat with two other tacos. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or when each side gets light golden brown (not too brown.)

One at a time, remove tacos from the pan with tongs, holding sideways as you remove them to allow oil to drip out of the sides. Place the taco in the stack of paper towels. Fold the sides and corners around the taco to tightly hold it, then give it three or four shakes to remove excess oil. Remove it from the paper towels and place on a plate. Repeat with other tacos in the pan.

As you continue frying the other tacos, have someone carefully place some grated cheese inside the tops of the tacos (gently pry them open just enough to place the cheese in). Then just let them sit until ready to serve—the cheese will melt as it sits in the warm taco.

Tacos will be hot for a minute or two after frying.  They stay warm for a while after frying, so serve with the garnish of your choice and enjoy!

Source: Pioneer Woman