Barbecued Chicken Salad With Corn Avocado And Creamy Poblano Dressing Recipes

GRILLED CORN AND POBLANO POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Add the corn and grill, turning onto all sides, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Halve the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the corn kernels off of the cobs and add to the bowl. Add the poblano chiles, scallions, sour cream, mayonnaise and cilantro and mix gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve. (The potato salad can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

POBLANO CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Coat the poblano peppers with a small amount of oil or cooking spray. Place directly on the oven rack. On a baking sheet, combine the onions, red and green bell peppers, celery and corn.
• Roast the vegetables and peppers for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Check occasionally, and turn or stir as needed for even browning. Remove from the oven, and refrigerate until needed.
• Tear the corn tortillas into pieces, and place them in a food processor. Process into fine crumbs. Do this in smaller batches if necessary. Place crumbs on a plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip chicken breast halves into the tortilla crumbs to coat, then into the egg mixture, and again in the tortilla crumbs to give them a nice thick coating. Fry the chicken until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side. If your chicken is thick and isn't cooked through when the coating is browned, you can place it in the hot oven to finish it. When done, refrigerate until cooled completely.
• Peel and seed the poblano peppers. Place into a food processor along with the mayonnaise. Puree until smooth, and set aside.
• When everything has chilled, dice the chicken breasts. In a large food processor, combine the chicken and roasted vegetables. Blend in the poblano mayonnaise until your desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

BARBECUED CHICKEN SALAD WITH CORN, AVOCADO, AND CREAMY POBLANO DRESSING

Steps:

• Toss all the ingredients except dressing in a salad bowl, then toss in the dressing or serve it on the side.
• Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Feel free to also add red peppers, tomatoes, and cotija (an aged Mexican cheese) or any crumbly white cheese to the salad. This salad is also delicious with corn bread croutons. Day-old corn bread actually works best, because it will be drier. If you use fresh, you can dry it out in a 350°F oven for a few minutes.) Cut the corn bread into cubes, toss them with a little melted butter, and toast in a 350°F oven until golden brown and crisp. Let them cool, and toss with the salad.
• Grilled corn has a sweet, smoky flavor that's great on its own (eaten off the cob with butter and a squirt of lime) and in salads. You'll want to grill the corn in its husk, because this preserves moisture and imparts a distinctive sweet and "corny" flavor. Simply soak the ears in cold water for about 20 minutes. Place them directly on a medium-low grill or over pale gray coals, and cover. Grill for about 20 minutes, turning the cobs every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. As with any cooked corn, you'll know it's done when the kernels are tender and release a milky liquid when pierced. Peel away the husk and silk and serve as you wish.
• To roast fresh poblanos or other peppers or chiles, place them directly on the grill over a low flame on a gas range, or on a baking sheet under a broiler, and char until evenly blackened, turning as necessary. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with a hand towel for about 5 minutes to steam the peppers (this will make their skins easier to remove). Alternatively, you can steam the peppers in a sealed plastic bag. Use your paring knife and/or your fingers to remove the stem, seeds, and skin from the peppers and use the smoky flesh as directed in the recipe.