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This Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad with Creamy Chipotle-Cilantro dressing is a Tex-Mex spin on the traditional Cobb Salad. Filling and hearty, yet light and substantial, this salad is lip-smacking-delicious!Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad-short pin6Hiya friends! How has your week been?

Mine has been… fine. Nothing eventful.

Even now as I sit here, trying to think of something witty to write, I can’t stop myself from staring out the window at the endless rain and thinking about how much I need a vacation. I need to do something noteworthy. It has been about 5 years since Boy and I took a vacation somewhere. FIVE. You’d agree I need a vacation, right?

Consequently, I have been researching North Carolina beaches for the hubster and I to get away to, and I’m thinking Wrightsville beach just might be the place for us to get a little R&R. So, for all you NC residents, or anyone who has vacationed here, are there any beaches you suggest? Since we are new to N to the C I’m completely open to recommendations! So please leave a comment below and help a sista’ out.

Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad-8Anyways, I’ll try to focus long enough to discuss what you guys are here for. The food.

If you follow this blog, you know in my last post I told you guys I made something with that fantastic fajita flavored hummus. And here it is.

Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad

Have you guys tried crusting your chicken with hummus yet? If you haven’t, OMG, you absolutely must. Like, immediately. It’s seriously the easiest thing ever, but the flavor is spot on. Simply, and generously, slather the hummus right on top of the chicken and bake.

Boom. Hummus crusted chicken.

Doooo it!Fajita_Hummus_Crusted_Chicken_Salad - dressing collageFajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad-53Anyways, you guys, this salad is lip-smackin’-good! It is filling and hearty, yet light and substantial. It’s kind of like a Cobb salad… gone fajita.

You have crisp, cool lettuce and cabbage; warm, thinly sliced bell peppers and onions; creamy avocado, herbaceous cilantro; funky, salty cotija cheese, fresh pico de gallo, spicy rings of jalapenos, crunchy tortilla chips and that tender, juicy, flavor rockin’ hummus crusted chicken. This salad is a mixture of textures and flavors, making it feast for the taste buds.Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad-27While all that salad-y jazz is fantastic and all, you can’t have a salad without a dressing.

This salad is spruced up with a Chipotle-Cilantro Dressing. Creamy, smooth, slightly spicy, a bit smoky, a touch tangy and a hint sweet, the dressing pairs wonderfully with, and enhances, the fajita flavors in the salad. Fajita_Hummus_Crusted_Chicken_Salad -GIFBut before you go off and have a salad fiesta, I have a few notes for you:

  1. I always quick brine my chicken breasts before baking. Always. It only takes 15 minutes and it makes your chicken super tender.  All you need to do is fill a large bowl with 1 quart of lukewarm water and stir in 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add the chicken breasts and allow to brine for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, rinse and pat dry. Viola. No more dry chicken for you!
  2. When you are coating the (brined) chicken breasts with hummus you want to be generous. Don’t be stingy with the hummus. Plentifully slather it on. The more hummus the better. 😉
  3. The dressing can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered, for 3-5 days. Obviously I highly recommend you make double the recipe and drizzle this stuff on all the things.

Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad-92Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad-95So get your tushie into the kitchen and whip together a few batches of Fajita Flavored Hummus. A little for your mouth and a little for this Crusted Chicken Salad. Trust me, your belly will thank you! Until next time friends, Cheers – to hummus on all the things!

Xoxo-

Cheyanne

Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad

5 from 12 votes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
This Fajita Hummus Crusted Chicken Salad with Creamy Chipotle-Cilantro dressing is a Tex-Mex spin on the traditional Cobb Salad. Filling and hearty, yet light and substantial, this salad is lip-smacking-delicious!

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Make the dressing: Add all ingredients, except for the olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil. Process until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator to allow flavors to marry.
  • Cook the chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place the onions and peppers in the baking dish. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
  • Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts on top of the peppers and onions in the baking dish. Coat the top on the chicken generously with fajita flavored hummus.*
  • Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until chicken breast is cooked to 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice chicken and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the salad: Divide the lettuce and cabbage between serving bowls. Top with onions, pepper and chicken. Garnish with avocado, pico de gallo, jalapeno rings, cotija, crushed tortilla chips and a few cilantro leaves. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Notes

*You can use two separate baking dishes if desired, place vegetable in one and chicken in the other
*Dressing can be made in advance and will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for 3-5 days.
*My chicken breasts were large and took about 34 minutes to bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal    Carbohydrates: 13g    Protein: 14g    Fat: 36g    Saturated Fat: 7g    Cholesterol: 54mg    Sodium: 293mg    Potassium: 627mg    Fiber: 5g    Sugar: 7g    Vitamin A: 1480IU    Vitamin C: 59.1mg    Calcium: 54mg    Iron: 0.9mg

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