Southwest Cobb w/ Hatch Chile Ranch

I love hatch Chile season!!!! And this hatch Chile buttermilk ranch steals the show. I put this salad together just for the dressing.

Serves: 2-4

Time: 1 hour

You’ll need

• 1lb chicken (two breasts, 4-5 thighs)

• 2 large romaine heads of lettuce

• 1 cup frozen or fresh corn (off the cob)

• 1 avocado

• 1/2 cup cotija cheese

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup hatch Chile ranch

• salt, pepper, garlic powder, basic seasoning blend

• Optional salad ingredients: diced jalapeño, rinsed black beans, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, diced green bell pepper

Instructions:

1. Make the dressing ahead of time (recipe is linked above) or roast the hatch chiles while you’re making the chicken and then blend up the dressing while you’re making the salad.

2. Use a meat hammer (tenderizer) to pound out the chicken into thin pieces

3. Sprinkle both sides of each piece of chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and whatever basic seasoning you want (anything from blackened seasoning to basic grill seasoning)

4. Heat a grill pan over medium high or turn your outdoor grill on to 425. Grill for 7-10 minutes on each side. If you’re using a grill pan on your stove, finish the chicken for 10 minutes in the oven at 400 to be safe. You can cover it with aluminum foil if you’re worried it will dry out.

5. While the chicken is cooking, cut up the lettuce. Cut the avocado in half and then slice into cubes. You can leave the corn raw or sauté it with butter to brown it. Crumble the cotija cheese. Add everything to a large salad bowl and toss with the dressing

6. Remove the chicken and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it so it doesn’t dry out. Then slice it into thin pieces

7. Split the salad into bowls or onto plates, top with chicken and enjoy!