I tried this for the first time tonight. I used lemon juice, and skipped the tortilla chips and lettuce. I served it with a salad of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and dried cranberries, accompanied by a 2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc.
Chilied Chicken Breast with Tortilla Chips and Avocado-Corn Salsa
Chile Marinade
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1/3 cup lemon or orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 boneless chicken breast halves
Avocado-Corn Salsa
1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked
1 medium avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium dice
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium dice
1/4 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1/2 small onion, minced
2 Tbsp minced cilantro
juice of 1 small lime
6 Tbsp olive oil
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
4 leaves Boston or Bibb lettuce, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
Mix all marinade ingredients together in a medium nonreactive bowl. Put chicken in a 9x13-inch nonreactive dish. Pour marinade over and turn to coat well. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Combine salsa ingredients and set aside.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes each. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in skillet. Add chicken, reserving the marinade. Saute until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add marinade to skillet and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute.
Transfer chicken to dinner plates and spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with tortilla chips and lettuce. Serve salsa on the side.
Serves 4.
Based on a recipe in Cook's magazine.