Chicken Mole Taco Salad for Salad Week
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Things tend to get crazy when nine women get together over the interwebs to conspire to bring the world a little bit of knowledge, noms and a side of healthy eating. Well, at least we are trying to be healthy – quite the feat for some of us. *cough* Like Me *cough*.
What? It’s a well known fact that I’m more accustomed to inducing a sugar high via the computer screen than I am at whipping up greens and veggies. It’s something I’ve been working on and this Salad Week gave me just the inspiration I needed to kick up the health factor another notch.
Wedding in 128 days and all. *cue panic*
For my first salad of the week, I channeled my recent obsession with Mexican food. Or more accurately – drinks.
Diligently practicing my I Dream of Jeannie blink to not so gently coax spring into action has been thirsty work. And to reward myself for my efforts I’ve been enjoying a margarita or two in hopes that it will warm up and I can enjoy all the spoils of spring. Like an herb garden, hello!
Anywho. Today, along with Comfortably Domestic, we’re bringing you a couple tasty veggie salads that would make Jamie Oliver proud. Jamie, you approve right? I’m desperate for your approval. That lisp just slays me.
The traditional chicken mole sauce I decided to source for this salad has a crap-ton of spices, a bit of heat and an added dash of chocolate for something special. It just can’t be compared to anything else. The chocolate is what does it in. Like Romeo’s cute butt did in Juliet. I suspect.
For the sauce, include chili powder, red pepper, cinnamon, cumin, oregano and cocoa. Halfway through the sauce I changed my game and used chocolate chips instead of the cocoa powder.
Into a sauce pan went chopped onions with garlic, a touch of oil, cumin and cinnamon. Stir together for about 10 until the onions are soft and add in chili powder, oregano, and red pepper. Top it off with chicken or beef broth.
Once the smell of simmering mole began permeating my apartment and the sauce had cooked down for about 30 minutes, chocolate chips were added and left to just melt into the sauce before it was removed and left to cool and thicken.
While the sauce was cooling, I took my favorite chicken cutlet technique and put it to work here. With my oven set to 450, yes quite high, a chicken breast was filleted, dipped in flour, egg and lastly toasted panko to lastly be baked high and quickly leaving us with a crispy crunch and no guilt of frying.
As per usual Huck decided to sit at the Mama’s feets just in case something decided to take a tumble. His patience was rewarded in greenery.
He’s a veggie pup if there ever was one.
For the final prep, the sauce was cooled, cheese was shredded, chicken thinly sliced and two corn toastadas were sourced for each plate. Stack it all high and serve immediately. Between the spicy sauce, the savory chicken and the crispy lettuce this was one heck of a way to do salad.
This baker could get used to this.
Ingredients for Chicken Mole Taco Salad
Mole Sauce:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Chili Powder
- Oregano
- Cayenne Pepper
- Flour
- Chicken or Beef Broth
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
Chicken:
- Chicken Breast
- Panko
- Flour
- Egg
Salad Preparation:
- Heart Romaine Lettuce
- Spinach
- Cheddar
- Corn Tostadas
For the rest of the Salad Week Line Up check below and don’t forget to post your favorite salad recipes on Saturday to Decadent Philistines who’s hosting a Salad Week Pot-Link! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!.
Allison made a Tabbouleh that made her cry. Jeanne brought out an oldie-but-goodie in Toughie’s Apple Salad. Kat of Tenaciously Yours sourced us a Party Salad fit for a crowd. And Lauren made us Salad in Parm Cups, for the cheese lovers all around.
Saturday we’ll be hearing from GromMom, Bakeaholic Mama, and Mads of Petite Pancake!
Enjoy the healthiness abound and you’ll be sure to get your daily dose of fiber and vegg just reading through these!
Inspired Homemade Recipes To Try
Grilled Chicken Caesar Tabbouleh Salad
Grilled Romaine with Blackberries and Crispy Prosciutto
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Chicken Mole Taco Salad
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Corn tostadas are stacked with crispy lettuce, savory chicken and cheese, and spicy homemade mole sauce. It’s a fresh and satisfying meal salad!
Ingredients
Mole Sauce:
- 1/3 cup chopped Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1 1/4 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp dried Oregano
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Flour
- 1 1/2 cup Chicken or Beef Broth
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
Chicken:
- 1 chicken Breast, filleted into two
- 1/2 cup Panko, toasted
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 1 egg, beaten
Salad Preparation:
- 2 cups Heart Romaine Lettuce, sliced
- 2 cups Spinach
- 1/3 cup Cheddar, shredded
- 4 pre-packaged corn tostadas
Instructions
Mole Sauce:
- In a medium sauce pan, head oil over medium heat. Add onion, cumin and cinnamon. Cover and allow onions to soften. About ten minutes or so.
- Stir in garlic, chili powder, oregano, cayenne, and flour. Whisk in broth and vinegar. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to allow sauce to maintain a simmer.
- Stir often until mixture reduces and thickens. About 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken.
Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 450.
- While sauce is simmering, fillet chicken breast into two.
- In three separate bowls, divide the flour into one, whisked egg into another and lastly add in toasted panko crumbs.
- Dip each chicken fillet into flour, dredge in egg and then dip and coat with panko crumbs. Place onto lightly sprayed broiling pan. Repeat with other chicken fillet.
- Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes or until panko is golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
- Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Ready for final preparation.
Salad Preparation:
- Plate two corn tostadas per plate in a stacked fashion. Top with lettuce shreds and spinach.
- Sprinkle on cheddar cheese. Top with sliced chicken.
- Pour mole sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.
Notes
Mole sauce recipe adapted from Eating 80/20. Chicken recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Chicken Parmesan.
Awwww, Huck is just too cute. And gorgeous salad. I’ve never actually had mole before but I’m super excited to give it a try. I’m intrigued about that chocolate in there.
I love that you took a chicken salad and added chocolate to it. You are my hero.
yum yum yumyumyum! This salad sounds delish!
Holy Mole, that looks good! I can’t believe I’m the first to jump on that one. Dorkiness permeates me. You understand. But seriously?! You worked extra dark chocolate into a salad! I’m so there…
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oh wow, this looks so good. and CHOCOLATE?! GURRRL, you crazy! haha not! it sounds amazing!! wow, your wedding is coming up quick!! let me know if you need anything..like helping you not freak out! haha
You and I are SO on the same page. I just bough a bunch of stuff to make Mole this weekend, plus i’m going to add (wait to be shocked) beer. For reals.
Kirsten stole what I was about to write… Holy Mole! Your does this Chicken Mole Salad look fab! I’m pretty excited to join in on this Salad Week fun I can’t wait to see your 2nd Salad tomorrow!
I might run into my kitchen right now and and make this. Oh my yummm!
This is definitely a sexy mexy kind of salad! I have never made a mole before. Crazy, right? Can’t wait to get my cook on in the kitchen!
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Sexy Mexy. I like that, Lauren! It suits this salad to a ‘T’. I’ve never in my life eaten mole, but TCP went on an epic mole bender once. He ate it at least once a week for at least 4 months. Then he swore off it for a while. It must be magical, because TCP doesn’t eat anything for 4 straight months. I’ll have to try this one on him. And hey… how do you like those Guittard chips? They’re my fave!
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You would find a way to work chocolate into a salad that has nothing to do with candy bar pieces and whipped topping. And everything to do with #wannabetexans. That being said, I wouldn’t be opposed to a spirited celebration of candy bars and bits. Recipes not needed.
p.s. The tostadas are The Perfect Serving Vessel.
p.s.s. Huck is always welcome in The Snaps.
My pup is always waiting for me to drop something good! Love this salad and its tostada base!
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Your dog is soooo cute!
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