Mexican Tortilla Salad with Chicken (Restaurant Style)

النسخة العربية

A Mexican tortilla salad just like the famous restaurant one: a crispy corn tortilla at the bottom of the plate, topped with black beans and golden chicken slices in cilantro sauce, then a mountain of lettuce, green and red cabbage and charred corn in a mustard dressing, with fresh pico de gallo, sour cream and crispy tortilla strips. A colorful, filling dish that makes a complete meal.

⚠️ Allergy note: contains Dairy (sour cream, and its substitutes labneh or yogurt), Mustard, Wheat/gluten (possible in some store-bought corn tortillas).

Um Ghaith’s tips

• Don’t toss the salad with the mustard dressing until the moment you serve, so the lettuce and cabbage stay crisp.
• If you can’t find black beans, use canned red kidney beans; the result is just as tasty.
• Pounding the chicken breast to an even thickness helps it cook evenly and stay tender; use a thermometer and take it off at exactly 74°C.
• You can bake the tortillas instead of frying: brush them with a little oil and bake at 200°C for 6 to 8 minutes until browned.
• No fresh corn? Use drained canned corn and brown it in a hot, dry pan for 4 minutes until it takes on a charred color.

Mexican Tortilla Salad with Chicken (Restaurant Style)

A Mexican tortilla salad just like the famous restaurant one: a crispy corn tortilla at the bottom of the plate, topped with black beans and golden chicken slices in cilantro sauce, then a mountain of lettuce, green and red cabbage and charred corn in a mustard dressing, with fresh pico de gallo, sour cream and crispy tortilla strips. A colorful, filling dish that makes a complete meal.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 small corn tortillas (15 cm) 2 for the base and 1 cut into strips for garnish
• 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil for frying enough for 1 cm depth in the pan
• 250 g halal chicken breast 2 small pieces, pounded to 1.5 cm thick
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt for the chicken
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper for the chicken
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for searing the chicken
• 2 tbsp cilantro sauce finely chopped cilantro + 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp lime juice + a pinch of salt
• 30 g (2 tbsp) green salsa (salsa verde) store-bought, or blended from hot green chili, cilantro, onion and lime juice
• 60 g (1/3 cup) cooked black beans canned, drained and rinsed
• 170 g (3 cups) romaine lettuce cut into strips half a centimeter wide
• 110 g (1.5 cups) green cabbage very thinly sliced
• 60 g (3/4 cup) red cabbage very thinly sliced
• 60 g (1 cup) mixed baby lettuce
• 1 ear fresh sweet corn about 110 g kernels after charring (2/3 cup)
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
• 30 g (3 stalks) green onions chopped
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil for the mustard dressing
• 40 ml (3 tbsp) apple cider vinegar for the mustard dressing
• 1 tbsp smooth yellow mustard for the mustard dressing
• 1 tsp honey for the mustard dressing
• 1 clove garlic crushed, for the mustard dressing
• 2 tomatoes cut into small cubes for the pico de gallo
• 1/4 red onion finely chopped for the pico de gallo
• 1 hot green chili seeded and chopped, for the pico de gallo
• 2 limes juice of half a lime for the pico de gallo, the rest cut into halves for serving
• 1/2 ripe avocado optional, for the avocado sauce; mash with a spoonful of sour cream and lime juice
• 1 tbsp sour cream for garnish
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper to season the sauces to taste

Method

 

1. Make the mustard dressing: whisk the olive oil with the apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth, then set aside.
2. Make the pico de gallo: mix the tomato cubes with the red onion, hot chili, 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro, the juice of half a lime and a pinch of salt, and leave it for 10 minutes to soak up the flavor.
3. Heat the frying oil in a pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C, and fry the two tortillas one at a time for about 1 minute per side until golden and crispy, then drain on paper towels.
4. Cut the third tortilla into thin strips and fry them in the same oil for 1 to 2 minutes until browned, then drain and sprinkle with a little salt.
5. Char the ear of corn in a hot, dry cast-iron pan over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until light charred spots appear, then let it cool a little and cut off the kernels.
6. Pound the chicken breasts to 1.5 cm thick and season both sides with the salt and black pepper.
7. Heat the tablespoon of oil in the cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, and sear the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 74°C.
8. Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it into strips half a centimeter wide and toss with the cilantro sauce.
9. In a large bowl, mix the romaine, green and red cabbage, baby lettuce, charred corn kernels, cilantro leaves and green onions, then add the mustard dressing and toss well right before serving.
10. On each serving plate, place a tablespoon of the green salsa, then a crispy tortilla on top, spread the black beans over it and cover with the chicken slices.
11. Pile the salad high on top of the tortilla, then garnish with the avocado sauce and sour cream, spoon the pico de gallo around the edges, and put the crispy tortilla strips on top and the lime halves beside the plate.

Notes

⚠️ Allergy note: contains Dairy (sour cream, and its substitutes labneh or yogurt), Mustard, Wheat/gluten (possible in some store-bought corn tortillas)

Don’t toss the salad with the mustard dressing until the moment you serve, so the lettuce and cabbage stay crisp.

If you can’t find black beans, use canned red kidney beans; the result is just as tasty.

Pounding the chicken breast to an even thickness helps it cook evenly and stay tender; use a thermometer and take it off at exactly 74°C.

You can bake the tortillas instead of frying: brush them with a little oil and bake at 200°C for 6 to 8 minutes until browned.

No fresh corn? Use drained canned corn and brown it in a hot, dry pan for 4 minutes until it takes on a charred color.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the tortilla salad ahead?

Yes, make the sauces and pico de gallo and chop the vegetables, and keep them separately in the fridge for up to one day; fry the tortillas, cook the chicken and assemble the plate right before serving.

What can I use instead of sour cream?

Light labneh or Greek yogurt with a little lime juice gives the same texture and tang.

How do I know the chicken is cooked without drying it out?

The best way is a thermometer: the thickest part should reach 74°C. If you don’t have one, cut into the middle and make sure the meat is completely white and the juices run clear.

Is Mexican tortilla salad spicy?

It’s mildly spicy, with the heat coming from the chili in the pico de gallo and the salsa; you can leave it out or add more to suit your family’s taste.