chicana "chicken" salad

Antonio and I were in the backyard this weekend, embracing the "fall" weather. It is hot as hell, I tell you! We were driving earlier in the day, and the temperature read, "111 degrees". "That can't be right, " I thought, but, hey, we are in Southern California.

After running laps chasing Paolo and feeding Joaquin for the 198th time today (I tell ya, he doesn't stop eating!) It was finally time for Mama to Cook Tonight!

We needed food; and we needed it fast! I was feeling light headed and dizzy...and irritable! Antonio is down right cranky if he's running on low blood sugar, and Paolo; well, I say "EAT!" and he comes a runnin'....

Chicana "chicken" salad came into the evening. I was working with my greens from the night before, and I didn't want them to go to waste....I hate to waste food, I really do.

I always keep these packages of ready to eat grilled "chicken" strips in the refri, because when we are starving and I need food in about 15 minutes, these are saviors! You can find them at Trader Joe's, where the lunch meats are, or at Fresh n' Easy too. I love them, because I can fry them, microwave them, blacken them...they are really delicious.

I fried some flour tortillas for some added crispiness to the salad. And anything fried is always good!

I used beans we had in the fridge too, because I haste waste...I layered everything on and.......wa-la!

Chicana "Chicken"Salad! But, this isn't CHICANA "chicken" salad with some Tapatio hot sauce. Man, forget salad dressing; use this. It amazingly pulls everything together deliciously.

I always make for four people.

chicana chicken salad:

4 flour tortillas

1 package prepared grilled "chicken" strips

1 package salad greens

1 cup/can pinto beans (kidney, garbanzo, or black would be tasty)

1 tomato, diced

crumbled bleu cheese (optional)

1/2 red onion, diced

1 avocado, chopped

banana peppers

Tapatio Hot Sauce

* Fry your flour tortillas in a pan with a little bit of oil. Fry until golden brown. Take out and let cool. Set aside.

* Heat up your chicken. Microwave, stovetop, however you prefer.

* Layer your salad: tortilla, greens, beans, chicken, tomatoes, onions, and anything else you like. I get organic bleu cheese to add to it. The sharpness of the cheese goes well with the hot sauce and the chicken.

* Top it off with Tapatio, and you have your Chicana Chicken Salad. You can also use real chicken, if you are the flesh eating kind:)

love, love, love,

vegancita