I love a good salad and this Santa Fe Salad, a unique combination and of ingredients that is magical. Like many salads it's almost gluten free. Fortunately, even if you started gluten free last week, you've probably found gluten free soy sauce and nacho chips already. I guarantee this is a salad worth repeating!
When I mix up the blackened spice mix for this salad I plan to make my Blackened Steak Salad soon to use it up.
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Variations
Vegetarian version: To make a few changes to this salad for a vegetarian version depending on the time of year. I sauté the corn in butter with blackened seasoning. This leaves a warm element if I'm making it in colder months. During corn season I mix the spices into butter and serve the salad with a whole corn on the cob and blackened butter.
Two more ideas to actually replace the chicken are to add cubes of roasted butternut squash or sautéed tofu. Either way I sprinkle blackened seasoning on them before cooking.
The Spice Cupboard
Everyday cooks need a good variety of spices so it’s worth the effort to keep them organized the way you like. I have a lot of spices so to keep them reasonably fresh and avoid the collection from expanding even more this is my tip.
| KITCHEN TIP - Make your own spice combinations. If you want pumpkin pie spice, pizza spice, Cajun spice or a blackened spice mix go to the spice cupboard and make it. Those spices are probably all there. |
Equipment
Spices are key to cooking a wide variety of dishes from around the world. These are the items I use to store my homemade spice mixes.
- traditional spice bottles available at kitchen stores
- tiny ½ cup size Mason jars (that use the same size lid as many other jars I use)
- a spice funnel
- Dymo label maker because you’ve got to label those bottles ASAP.
Tips for Salad Prep
Salads can take a lot of time, especially when you’re using several different ingredients. Organizing yourself is the key.
I assemble the ingredients into a large, flat marinating container with a lid. This makes it come together quickly. A large container can also hold small dishes, with pumpkin seeds and dates, so they're ready to serve.
How To Serve a Composed Salad
A composed salad needs a nice bowl. I love the large angled bowl you sometimes get in restaurants. I’ve got a stack of inexpensive white bowls I bought at the Asian store. These everyday bowls get a lot of use in my kitchen yet look nice enough to serve to company.
Thanks to Earl’s, a Canadian restaurant chain, for the inspiration for this salad. There are many versions of it online and this is my take and I’d love to hear what you thought of it in the comments below.
Santa Fe Salad
Ingredients
BLACKENED SPICE MIX
- 3 tablespoon paprika*
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
PEANUT LIME DRESSING
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- zest from 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 garlic clove
CHICKEN
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
SALAD
- 8 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 cup chopped dates
- ¾ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- ¾ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
TORTILLA STRIPS
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 corn tortillas, cut in half then into ½ inch wide strips
Instructions
BLACKENED SPICE MIX
- Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in a jar.
PEANUT LIME DRESSING
- Put all ingredients in blender cup and process until smooth. Serve on the side.
TORTILLA STRIPS
- Heat oil in sauté pan on medium high heat. Add tortilla strips and cook until lightly browned.
CHICKEN
- Sprinkle both sides of chicken with blackened seasoning mix.
- Heat oil in pan, sauté chicken until cooked, about 4 minutes per side. Cool slightly and slice.
SALAD
- Divide lettuce among 4 large bowls.
- Top with remaining salad ingredients; sliced chicken, avocado, dates, corn, black beans and feta.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and garnish with tortilla strips.
- Serve Peanut Lime Dressing on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
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steshni
delicious and healthy meal had it with tofu!!
Cinde Little
Thanks Steshni! I like trying new ways to cook tofu and use it as a substitute for meat.
Mx
Very delicious!
Cinde Little
Thank Mx, I'm glad you liked it!