Years ago, I was a line cook on the lunch shift in a downtown Memphis restaurant. One of the waiters, David, had a favorite salad. As he would say, “The crispy lettuce with the smoky grilled chicken and creamy avocado, with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette? When I tell you this is the best salad in the world…” I think he sold at least one salad to every table. Many years, miles, jobs and salads later, I’m still making a version of that salad, albeit with numerous tweaks that have turned into my own creation. I hope you take David’s word for it and try it yourself.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Dash sesame oil
- Dash hot sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 to 16 ounces total)
- 2 ears corn, shucked
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cups Little Gem lettuce (see Cook’s Note), romaine or baby green leaf lettuce, or a mix of the three, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped, optional
Instructions
- For the cilantro-lime vinaigrette: Combine the cilantro, lime juice, zest, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, hot sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender on the lowest speed, slowly pour in the olive oil so it emulsifies. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- For the chicken and salad: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Drizzle the chicken breasts and corn with the oil and then sprinkle them all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken and corn on the grill. Cook the chicken until dark brown grill marks appear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees F, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Grill the corn, turning it frequently, until browned and lightly charred all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Set the chicken and corn aside to rest and cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, toss the lettuce, mint and scallions together in a large bowl. Sprinkle the avocado, tomatoes, queso fresco and pecans, if using, evenly over the lettuce. Slice the grilled chicken and cut the corn kernels off the cobs; add both to the salad. Drizzle all the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 523 |
| Total Fat | 39 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 73 mg |
| Sodium | 742 mg |
Reviews
Outstanding! Followed this recipe EXACTLY and it is so delicious. Definitely something that looks and tastes like you ordered it at restaurant. The vinaigrette is so flavorful, I’m not a huge cilantro fan( my husband is) and I enjoyed it, the cilantro is not overpowering, the honey, lime, sesame, vinegar all balance each other. The salad with the corn, scallions, avocado, queso and tomatoes are perfect. So glad I found this amazing recipe and made it! Perfect dinner, thank you!
As someone who thinks Memphis has great food… I Would love to know the Memphis Restaurant…Thanks!