Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

I know a salad doesn't totally jive with my recent recipes, but trust me (no, really!) this one is damn delicious and worthy of inclusion here.

• It's a pizza night salad.
• It's a crazy-addictive salad.
• It's an almost-full-meal salad. [i.e. add some chicken or beans and you're set.]
• It's a...

Ok, fine, I'll shut up and tell you about it now.

A few years ago a friend's girlfriend suggested we pick up this salad to go with some pizzas from a (now defunct) take-and-bake pizza place.

It was love at first bite.

Well, for me and the salad anyway...

It'll satisfy just about anyone, especially if you keep the ingredients in separate bowls for them to pick and choose what they like.

So, if cilantro tastes like soap and the mildest jalapeno sets your face on fire? You don't have to add them!

It has all of the elements of a crave-able salad, it's:

• Creamy
• Crunchy
• Salty
• Sweet
• Tangy
• Tasty

The vinaigrette works with grilled chicken or pork and on grain or bean salads, too, so double it and keep some in the fridge.

Oh, and did you notice the bacon in there?

Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

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Find love at first bite with this adaptable, addictive chopped salad filled with bacon, pineapple, avocado & jalapeno | eatatkates.com

• Author: Kate Nolan
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 22 mins
• Total Time: 47 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 2-3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• salt & pepper

Baked Tortilla Strips

• 4 corn tortillas
• 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper [or to taste]

Salad

• 2 romaine hearts, chopped
• 6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 cups pineapple, chopped into ¼" pieces
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded, de-ribbed and thinly sliced
• ½ cup cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup crumbled feta or queso fresco
• tortilla strips

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Instructions

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

1. In blender or food processor, mix all ingredients until throughly combined.
   Set aside.

Baked Tortilla Strips

1. Cut tortillas in half, then stack on top of each other and cut into ½" strips. Place in medium mixing bowl.
2. Coat tortillas with vegetable oil.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings then toss with tortilla strips until lightly coated.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, stir and then bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.
5. Set aside to cool.

Salad

1. Prepare each of the salad ingredients and place in separate bowls.

Notes

I really, really recommend trying fresh pineapple in this. Here's the technique I use to cut it.
The tortilla strips are best the day they are made, but if you have a good, airtight container, they'll keep for another day.
Vinaigrette will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

• Calories: 374
• Sugar: 15 g
• Sodium: 330 mg
• Fat: 19 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Carbohydrates: 45 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Protein: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 13 mg