Copycat Cheesecake Factory Mexican Tortilla Salad

Get setIngredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as avocado or vegetable)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (for chicken marinade)
• 1 clove garlic (for chicken marinade)
• Juice of 1 lime (for chicken marinade)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (for vinaigrette)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced (for vinaigrette)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (for vinaigrette)
• Salt and pepper to taste (for vinaigrette)
• 1 ripe avocado, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed (for avocado cream)
• 1/4 cup sour cream (for avocado cream)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (for avocado cream)
• 1 clove garlic (for avocado cream)
• Juice of 1 lime (for avocado cream)
• Salt and pepper to taste (for avocado cream)
• 2 medium heads romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/4 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups mixed spring greens
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (for salad)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 tostada shells
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels, warmed
• 1/4 cup tomatillo salsa
• 1/2 cup pico de gallo
• 1/2 cup sour cream (for serving)
• 1 cup tortilla strips or lightly crushed tostada pieces

Recipe yield: 4. Shown for cooking scale, not as a health score.

Make itInstructions

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then season all over with coriander, salt, and pepper.

2. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice, until golden on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. While the chicken rests, blitz the cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil, one garlic clove, and lime juice in a blender or small food processor until a smooth green marinade forms. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Slice or chop the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with the cilantro marinade. Set aside to soak up the flavors while you prepare everything else.

5. Make the French mustard vinaigrette: whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and minced garlic in a small bowl or jar. Slowly drizzle in the 1/2 cup olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper. (This keeps in the fridge for up to one week.)

6. Make the avocado cream sauce: add the avocado, cilantro, sour cream, white wine vinegar, garlic, and lime juice to a blender and process until silky smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick to drizzle. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the fridge.)

7. Combine the romaine, green and red cabbage, red onion, spring greens, cilantro leaves, and scallions in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss well.

8. To build each plate, lay a tostada shell as the base, then spoon the cilantro-marinated chicken over it, followed by the warm black beans, corn, tomatillo salsa, and pico de gallo — just like the cheesecake factory mexican tortilla salad is assembled at the restaurant.

9. Mound the dressed greens generously on top, then drizzle with avocado cream sauce and dollops of sour cream.

10. Finish each plate with a handful of crispy tortilla strips, and serve immediately.

Adapted from delish.com