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Yucatan Chicken Spinach Salad with Chipotle-Citrus Vinaigrette

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Tamara Andersen
A great use for leftover or rotisserie chicken, this Yucatan-inspired spinach salad with chicken and citrus features a spicy citrus vinaigrette, and an array of fresh, healthy ingredients!
4.75 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Course Salads
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 servings
Calories 404 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounces cooked chicken - see Notes below
  • 6 cups spinach +/-
  • 1 to 2 cups citrus sections - grapefruit, tangerine, or orange
  • ½ to 1 cup jicama - peeled and julienned
  • 1 red pepper - thin-sliced
  • ¼ cup red onion - sliced thin
  • 1 avocado - sliced thin
  • ¼ cup pepitas - toasted
  • fresh mint leaves - sliced thin (about a tablespoon)

Chipotle-Citrus Vinaigrette

  • zest of 1 orange - lime, lemon or grapefruit
  • ¼ cup juice of orange - grapefruit, lime, grapefruit
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle or ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

  • Prepare the vinaigrette - Combine all ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning.
  • Prep the salad ingredients - Cube the chicken, section the citrus, thin-slice the red pepper, julienne the jicama, toast the pepitas, chiffonade the mint. Slice the avocado last! (To avoid browning).
  • Toss the salad - I put the chicken, spinach, red onion, and red bell pepper in a large salad bowl, and toss well with about half of the vinaigrette. I then add the avocado, avocado, and jicama and toss lightly. This may help keep all the "goodies" from migrating to the bottom of the bowl.
  • Serve the salad - Using salad tongs, place salad in an appropriate bowl or plate. Drizzle with a little more vinaigrette, and sprinkle with fresh mint. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Keep ancho chile powder, pepitas, and citrus on hand if you love these flavors! See well-stocked pantry.
  • What kind of chicken should I use? This is a great way to use leftover chicken, but even an hour or two in a marinade and the time on the grill make this a quick and healthy dinner salad. This is a great way to use rotisserie chicken. If you're into "meal prep," consider marinating chicken breast in citrus juices, achiote, garlic, and chipotle or ancho before cooking. I'll work on a recipe soon!
  • A "bullet" or "ninja" type small food processor works really well for salad dressings. Blenders work fine, but they're a pain for a small batch of dressing. Small food processors don't handle liquids very well.
  • Think about "flavor profiles" and be creative! Mango and other tropical fruits would work well in place of the citrus. Cilantro and jalapeno can substitute for the mint and ancho.
  • Macronutrients are an approximation from MyFitnessPal.com for reference purposes only!

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g

    NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com