Saturdays with Rachael Ray: Honey-Lime Chicken Salad with Poblano Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

 

Although this recipe definitely originated from a Rachael Ray recipe, I should mention that I changed it. A lot. A few of the comments in the recipe reviews said that this salad needed another flavor, so I definitely gave it another flavor. Or five more. I don’t think Rachael would be too mad at me for it. (Well...she might be mad at me for using ranch dressing mix. Sorry, Rach.)

We loved this salad. The dressing was amazing, and was definitely the star of this salad. The grilled poblano peppers added such a wonderful smoky, spicy flavor, and the buttermilk and sour cream made it so creamy. And I have to give my husband a pat on the back, because he grilled the chicken perfectly. It was tender but perfectly charred, and it had wonderful flavor (for which I’ll pat myself on the back, because I made the marinade).

This salad is perfect for summer, because nearly all of the work is done outside. I used croutons as the crunchy element because they’re what I had on hand, but next time I’ll use crushed tortilla chips instead. This recipe is a keeper for sure!

Be sure to check out Taste and Tell’s Saturdays with Rachael Ray for more great recipes!

Honey-Lime Chicken Salad with Poblano Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray

Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon honey
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper
2 poblano chiles, halved and seeded
1 sweet onion, thickly sliced
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
Shredded pepper-jack cheese
Croutons or crushed tortilla chips

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium. In a shallow bowl, pour all but 2 teaspoons of the lime juice over the chicken. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the honey and turn to coat; season with salt and black pepper. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the chiles and onion with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer the chiles to the grill and tent with foil. Grill, turning occasionally, until softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, grill the chicken and the onion, turning once, 5 to 6 minutes on each side; let cool.

3. Peel the chiles and remove seeds. Using a food processor or blender, puree the chiles with the buttermilk, sour cream, ranch dressing mix and the remaining 2 teaspoons lime juice; season with salt and black pepper.

4. Slice the chicken and serve on top of the romaine. Add the onions, cheese, croutons or tortilla chips, and dressing to each serving.