Grilled Chicken And Rice Salad With Nopales And Black Beans
serves 4
While this salad takes a little work, it's worth it. The charred chicken plays off the slightly spicy nopales and the savory beans very well.
This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.
1 skinless boneless chicken breast or 2 halves
1 teaspoon corn oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 pound fresh nopales, trimmed of spines (or 6 ounces canned nopales, drained)
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked white rice
1 tomato, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
prep: 20 minutes
total: 45 minutes
grill or broiler
large skillet (with cover)
large bowl
1. Brush the chicken breast with the oil and grill or broil 4 to 5 inches from a hot fire until browned and firm, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Cut into chunks and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, stir in the carrot and onion, and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic, coriander, black beans and lemon juice and cook until beans are just heated through, a couple of minutes. Pour into a large bowl and wipe out the skillet with a kitchen towel.
3. Scrape off the spines from the edges and face of fresh nopales and trim away the hard end from each section. Cut the trimmed sections into small cubes.
4. Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and add the 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the nopales, green onions, garlic, pepper flakes and salt. Mix together and cover. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the nopales are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and cook until the nopales are almost dry and the sticky liquid disappears, 10-12 minutes.
5. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the beans, nopales, rice and tomato. Whisk together the olive oil with the vinegar and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and toss with the rice mixture. Add the cilantro and toss.
