Southwestern Chicken Salad

This is pretty, colorful salad that's wonderfully rich in cilantro that makes a healthy main dish. It goes well with lemonade and a key lime pie for dessert (which isn't quite so healthy but still one of my favorites).

8 ounces diced chicken breast
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed
1 8-ounce can of kidney beans
1 1/2 cups corn, cooked and chilled
1/2 cup diced green or red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion

Saute the chicken and garlic in the oil and sprinkle the chili powder, salt and pepper over the top, cooking until nicely browned. Chill and combine the chicken with the rest of the above ingredients for salad. For the dressing combine the following in a plastic container, seal and shake to combine:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic clove

Serve the chicken, bean and corn mixture over a bed of mixed salad greens, drizzled with the dressing and serve with a handful of tortilla chips on the side.

Technorati tags: chicken, southwestern, cilantro, salads