Chopped Chicken Salad with Avocado Ranch

I am very fond of the Williams Sonoma blog, Taste, and read it daily. I combined their Chopped Chicken Salad with Citrus and Avocado with my cousin, Susan’s Avocado Ranch Dressing. There will be extra of both marinade and dressing that you can use on any of your future meals!

Marinade

1/3 c. fresh lime juice

9 T. olive oil

3/4 c. minced red onion

1 large serrano pepper, seeded and minced

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. ancho chile powder

sea salt and pepper to taste

Place lime juice in a bowl and slowly whisk in olive oil. Mix in the onion, serrano, cumin, chile powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 2 T. marinade to be added to ranch dressing later.

1 1/4-1/2# boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Place chicken breasts in a bowl and pour marinade over to cover. You may have some marinade left and save it for another use. Let chicken stand while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Ranch Dressing

1 avocado

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. greek yogurt

2 t. lemon juice

1 t. hot sauce

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t. salt (or to taste)

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. (I used a blender and needed to add a little water to get it thin enough to pour out of the blender) Add about 4 T. of this Ranch dressing to the 2 T. of the marinade above. This will be your salad dressing. You can also just use the Avocado Ranch dressing as is-it is delicious!

Grill or sauté the chicken breasts in a non stick or oiled grill pan for 5-8 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Cool 10 minutes. Cut into bite size pieces for the salad.

Salad

washed and dried lettuce of your choice, Bibb or Romaine

chopped cooked bacon

orange slices

chopped chicken

Toss with Avocado Ranch and garnish with anything you desire-feta, chopped nuts, tomatoes

Cookie City

More fabulous recipes from The Model Bakery Cookbook! A traditional peanut butter cookie that came from the doyenne of baking, Marion Cunningham and a yummy chocolate chip cookie that has wonderful texture due to only using brown sugar.

Peanut Butter Cookies

3 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 c. chunky peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position racks to center and top third of oven. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Beat the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on high until pale yellow, about one to two minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time and beat well. Beat in peanut butter. Reduce to low speed and gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until combined. I use a small scoop for these cookies but you can go up to 1/4 cup for the size. Bake about 15 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through baking.

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies-note the differences in this recipe from the basic toll house classic cookie. I love the all brown sugar. I only use 2 cups of chocolate chips. Makes about 40 cookies.

2 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. fine sea salt

3.4 c. plus 1 T. uns. butter, room temperature

1 1/3 c. brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2 2/3 c. chocolate chips, semi sweet or bittersweet, your choice (sometimes I only use 2 c. and  mix with toffee bits too)

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and brown sugar in mixer on medium speed until light in color about 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, one by one and then the vanilla.Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in thirds. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Make cookies about 1/4 c. size. Bake 14-17 minutes rotating sheet pans from top to bottom and front to back.