Have you ever had a meal at a restaurant that you loved, but know it’s probably a lot higher in calories and fat than you’d like? We have too and this Mexican inspired dish is a twist on one that we had.

Adapted from a recipe provided by the American Heart Foundation, this salad makes a great dinner option the whole family will love. The creamy chicken mixture reminds us of the restaurant meal we ate—fantastic — flavors make the spinach unnoticeable and a “non-issue” for the picky eaters in the family. Don’t let the chipotle peppers scare you! They are a type of jalapeno pepper that add a great flavor and also have some great health benefits. Jalapeno peppers (including chipotle peppers) contain capsaicin, which is known for its cancer-fighting, antioxidant and weight loss benefits. (And if you need to avoid spice, you can leave them out, but we’d prefer you to get the taste and health benefits!) The plain yogurt will mellow out the spiciness so this recipe is kid friendly too.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded, halved lengthwise
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon canned chipotle pepper (or according to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 4 cups torn baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup crushed baked tortilla chips
• Cooking Instructions
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray. Put the chicken on one baking sheet. Spread the corn in a single layer on the other.

Bake both for 16 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the corn is roasted and slightly crunchy, turning the chicken over and stirring the corn halfway through.

Let the chicken cool slightly, about 2 minutes, or until easy to handle. Cut into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, gently toss the chicken, corn, beans, onion, and Cheddar.

In a blender, pulse the cilantro, yogurt, chipotle and sauce, and lime juice until well blended. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss gently to combine.

Put the spinach on plates. Spoon the chicken salad over the greens. Garnish with the tortilla chips.

Nutritional Analysis
Per serving
Calories – 308
Total Fat – 5.5 g
Carbohydrates – 32 g
Fiber – 6 g
Protein – 36 g