Recipe: Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad

This is a refreshing and substantial summertime main dish salad (utilizing the tomato, cilantro and lettuce in this week's CSA share...).

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad

Chicken:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine the first five ingredients and coat the chicken breasts with the mixture.  Refrigerate 30 minutes, then grill until done.  Set aside until it's time to assemble the salad, then slice thinly.

Tomato/onion vinaigrette:

3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2-3 hot peppers (like serrano, poblano, cayenne; the variety is not terribly crucial and a mix is good), or to taste, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.

Salad:

1-2 heads lettuce (depending on size), washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
About 3 cups shredded Cheddar, Jack or Mexican blend cheese
About 2/3 of a 26-oz bag of frozen shoestring fries, baked according to package directions

Divide the lettuce among four dinner plates.  Top with hot fries and shredded cheese.  Arrange sliced chicken over the cheese, then pour the vinaigrette over everything.

Serves 4.