Chiptole BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Serves four

Ingredients
1 head romaine lettuce loosely chopped
6 scallions thinly sliced
2 Iranian cucumbers thinly sliced
Handful of grape tomatoes thinly sliced
1 lg Avocado peeled and cut into small chunks, or 2 small
4 small sweet peppers thinly sliced or one red bell pepper
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 14 oz can black beans rinsed
1 14 oz can sweet corn rinsed 
Handful of Tostitos lime flavored tortilla chips coarsely crushed
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Chipotle Spice Grilled Chicken, recipe to follow
Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce, recipe to follow
1/2 cup Chipotle Ranch Dressing, recipe to follow



Method
Combine the lettuce, scallions, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, peppers and cilantro and place on a large cutting board. Using a large knife or a Mezzaluna knife, chop the ingredients to a consistent size. Place the chopped ingredients into a large bowl and add black beans, corn and crushed chips. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Toss with chipotle ranch dressing and separate into four serving bowls. Divide the diced and sauced chicken breast into four amounts and top each salad with a portion. Sprinkle with a few crushed chips and serve immediately.


Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Method
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth. 1-2 minutes. Refrigerate. If the sauce thickens too much while in the refrigerator, heat for a few seconds in the microwave. The level of spiciness can be adjusted by adding more chipotle pepper to suit your taste.

Chipotle Spice Grilled Chicken
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Crushed red chipotle pepper
Ground coriander
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Juice of one lime
Cooking oil spray
2 Tbsp olive oil


Method
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and coat both sides lightly with cooking oil spray.  Sprinkle each side of the breasts with kosher salt, ground black pepper, crushed red chipotle pepper, ground coriander. Once each side of the breast is sprinkled with the seasonings, pour lime juice over each breast. 

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat until just before smoking. Saute each side of the breasts until cooked through, about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Dice the breasts into 1/2 inch cubes and toss in honey chipotle bbq sauce and set aside. 



Chipotle Ranch Dressing
1 Packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
2 Tbsp sauce from canned chilies in adobo sauce
2 Tbsp sugar


Method
Follow the instructions for making the ranch dressing as included on the package. Add the adobo sauce and sugar and mix until blended. For a spicier dressing add more adobo sauce to suit your taste.