A crunchy Tex-Mex salad with spiced crispy chicken, fresh vegetables, and creamy salsa ranch dressing. Ready in 40 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Crispy Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
05 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for pan-frying
→ Salad
12 - 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
13 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
15 - 1 cup corn kernels fresh, frozen, or canned
16 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
17 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 1 avocado, diced
19 - 1/2 cup tortilla strips store-bought or homemade
→ Salsa Ranch Dressing
20 - 1/3 cup ranch dressing
21 - 1/3 cup tomato salsa mild or medium
22 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
# Steps:
01 - Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into bite-sized strips.
02 - Arrange three shallow bowls with flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and panko breadcrumbs mixed with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in the third.
03 - Dredge each chicken strip in flour, dip in beaten egg, then coat thoroughly in seasoned breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken strips for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, salsa, and fresh lime juice until smooth and well combined.
06 - In a large serving bowl or individual plates, layer romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels, shredded cheddar cheese, red onion, and diced avocado.
07 - Arrange crispy chicken strips and tortilla strips over the salad. Drizzle with salsa ranch dressing immediately before serving.
