Tasty Tuesdays - Black Bean-Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Well, we just got back from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's wedding in Minneapolis. It was a great weekend which we treated as a mini-vacation. As such, we ate our way through the Twin Cities. We really had the most amazing meals. We started with breakfast at this great place called Hell's Kitchen. They had amazing homemade peanut butter. I had porridge for the first time - delish! It has cranberries and hazelnuts in it. We had lunch at a little bistro, and we had a wonderful dinner with some college friends. It didn't stop there! there was the bridal luncheon and the rehearsal dinner and of course the wedding itself. It was a feast! So upon our return, we felt a craving for a good salad. I wanted something healthy, but still fun and flavorful.

This black bean taco salad was the perfect fit. I added fiesta corn to the bean mixture which provided a nice crispness and great flavor and color. I love adding black beans to a salad - it helps fill you up. I went very light on the reduced fat taco seasoned cheese, and we just crunched up a few baked Tostitos scoops. I had wanted to get a rotisserie chicken and add it, but the store was out. So we sauteed some chicken cutlets marinated in garlic, a bit of olive oil, lime juice, and chipotle tabasco sauce.

I have to say it was a really great salad. And I liked that it had a very flavorful dressing that wasn't mayo-based. You could certainly add pickled jalepenos or roasted red peppers for additional color and spice.

Ole!

4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups salad and 1 cup chips)
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
Salad:
8 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1 1/2 cups chopped ready-to-eat roasted skinned, boned chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fat-free baked tortilla chips (about 4 ounces)
Preparation
To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 11 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients except chips in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss well to coat. Serve with chips.