By Mid-June. Twenty-seven weeks pregnant. The third trimester starts next week. My birthday is Tuesday. The birthing-class schedule starts Monday at the Tulsa hospital labor-and-delivery floor where my OB delivers. Six-week sequence. Mondays six PM to nine PM. Dustin and I are signed up.
Sunday I made southwest chicken salad as a meal-prep lunch dish for the week ahead because the third-trimester schedule is going to need easy weeknight lunches I can pull from the fridge and eat at the factory without thinking. Shredded chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, lime-cumin dressing. Reheats well. Mild on the late-second-trimester stomach.
The procedure: poach two boneless chicken breasts in salted broth for fifteen minutes. Cool, shred. Combine in a large mixing bowl with a can of black beans (drained and rinsed), a can of corn (drained), one diced red bell pepper, four sliced scallions, a half-cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Dressing: a quarter-cup of olive oil, the juice of two limes, two teaspoons of ground cumin, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, a teaspoon of salt, a half-teaspoon of pepper. Toss everything together. Refrigerate at least one hour to let the flavors meld. Portion into single-serving containers for the factory lunch box. Five servings.
The recipe is the small Sunday-anchor in a small year of recipe-anchors. The Sunday-publish has been the small constant since I was fourteen and a freshman at Sapulpa High. The constancy is the small discipline. The small discipline is what makes the small kitchen-life sustainable.
The cafe’s small weekday-rhythm continues. Mama runs the small breakfast-and-brunch rotation. Cody runs the small lunch-and-dinner rotation. The small staff is the small extended family the cafe has built across the years.
Southwest Chicken Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 romaine heart, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (for dressing)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, avocado, crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry and rub all over with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice or dice.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined.
- Build the salad base. In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
- Dress and toss. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Top and serve. Divide salad among four bowls. Top with sliced chicken, shredded cheese, and cilantro. Add any optional toppings you have on hand — it’s good with nothing too.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 7g | Sodium: 520mg