Ensalada de nopales with grilled chicken and corn Recipe
This salad is a complete meal: pieces of grilled chicken, nopales cactus, sweet corn and crunchy bell pepper in a light lime dressing. In Mexico, bowls like this are often served as a cool lunch on hot days instead of heavy stews. The flavors are a bit like a grilled chicken salad, but with a distinct Mexican character thanks to cumin and cilantro.
Ensalada de nopales with grilled chicken and corn is a bowl that combines a complete meal with the lightness of a salad: there’s protein from the chicken, fiber from the cactus and crunchy vegetables. The lime dressing with cumin and a touch of honey gives it a distinctly Mexican character, while the grilled ingredients add a pleasant smoky aroma. It’s a great option for people who like salads “for real”, not just as a side.
Chef's tips
Fry the chicken on a well-heated grill pan until clear grill marks appear, but be careful not to dry it out – after frying, let it rest on a board for 3–4 minutes before slicing into strips. Add the nopales and bell pepper to the same pan where you cooked the chicken – they’ll pick up the flavor of the spices and leftover marinade, making the salad more aromatic. Taste the lime dressing as you go: if the limes are very sour, add a little water and a drop more honey instead of immediately increasing the amount of salt.
How to serve
Serve as a cool lunch on days when you’re working from home and don’t want to spend long at the stove – you can cook the chicken in advance and just assemble everything in a bowl before eating. It pairs well with water infused with cucumber and lime slices or a light, dry white wine. For a weekend barbecue, you can grill a larger batch of chicken on the grill and use the leftovers the next day in this salad as a “second life” for the meat.
Ingredients
- chicken breast - 400 g
- nopales - 200 g
- corn - 150 g
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- red onion - 0.5 piece
- cilantro - 3 tablespoon
- romaine lettuce - 0.5 head
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoon
- lime - 2 piece
- cumin - 0.5 teaspoon
- sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon
- honey - 1 teaspoon
- salt
- black pepper
Preparation
- Trim the chicken of any membranes and cut into thin fillets or strips. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of oil, sweet paprika, cumin, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the juice of 1 lime. Add the chicken, coat well in the marinade and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Drain the nopales from their brine, rinse under running water and drain well. Wash the bell pepper, remove the core and seeds, and cut into thin strips. Slice the onion into thin slivers.
- Wash the lettuce, dry it and tear into smaller pieces. Drain the corn if you’re using canned.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a grill pan or regular pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and fry for 4–5 minutes on each side, until the meat is cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a board and, after a moment, slice into strips.
- In the same pan, add the nopales and bell pepper. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are heated through and lightly browned on the edges.
- In a small bowl, make the dressing: mix the juice of 1 lime, honey, a pinch of salt and pepper, and optionally a little cumin. Add 1–2 tablespoons of water if the dressing seems too intense.
- In a large bowl, arrange the lettuce, then add the corn, sautéed nopales with bell pepper, onion slivers and chicken pieces. Pour over the dressing and gently toss.
- Sprinkle everything with chopped cilantro. Serve immediately so the lettuce stays crisp.
Storage
Store the salad components separately in the fridge for up to 1 day: keep the lettuce and dressing apart so the leaves don’t wilt. Combine and dress just before eating.
