SALSA RECIPES: Fiesta Chicken Salad . . . Jeff's Homemade Salsa

Fiesta Chicken Salad

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

8 cups torn lettuce leaves (or an 11-ounce package prepared salad greens)

2 cups torn spinach leaves

1 large carrot, shredded

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 14-ounce package frozen Southwest blend of corn, black beans, poblano chilies, roasted red pepper and onion, thawed and drained

½ cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup baked tortilla chips or corn chips, coarsely crushed

½ cup fat-free ranch dressing

¼ cup homemade salsa

Place chicken breasts in 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spray each side with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Combine salt, pepper and chili powder, and sprinkle over both sides of chicken. Bake at 425 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Set aside to cool slightly. Toss together lettuce, spinach, carrot, tomatoes and Southwest blend in large salad bowl. Cut chicken into thin strips and arrange over salad. Top with cheese and tortilla chips.

For dressing, blend ranch dressing and salsa and serve with salad.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 286 calories, 10 percent of calories from fat, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 46 milligrams cholesterol, 39 grams carbohydrates, 26 grams protein, 672 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber.

Jeff’s Homemade Salsa

24 roma tomatoes or 15 to 20 regular tomatoes, skins removed

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon canning salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 bunch cilantro, chopped ½ cup sugar

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

2 green or red bell peppers, chopped

2 to 3 hot peppers (Anaheim, hot banana or Hungarian wax), chopped

Juice from ½ lemon

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 small to medium red onion, chopped

Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Place in hot pint jars with lids and rings. Process in a water bath for 40 minutes.

Notes: You can vary the amount of hot peppers depending on your taste. I’ve found that the salsa tastes hotter right after you mix it.

Once sasa is cooked, it mellows. Also, you can add a package of Mrs. Wages tomato salsa mix, along with any other ingredients you choose for a change of pace.

Tags: salsa recipes, life, updates, food, recipes