SPICY CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN SALAD

I don't often like to use tinned foods, however using cooked black beans saves me 45-60 minutes of cooking, which is super valuable time that I need and I am sure all of you out there really need! Having cooked black beans from scratch several times before, I must admit that you can not even tell the difference between canned and the real raw deal. This chicken tastes (and looks!) amazing cooked on a grill plate, but a regular pan will do just fine if you do not have such equipment in your kitchen (although my advice would be to acquire one! They are usually very cheap and are so useful for grilled all types of meat and vegetables without having the hassle of having to use your bbq!). If you have a lemon on hand, squeeze some of the juice on top of the diced avocado and toss gently; this will keep the avocado from turning brown. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 1/2 - 1 packet taco seasoning (30g) (depending on how spicy you want the dish)
• 500g chicken breast fillets, preferably free range, diced into even 4cm pieces 
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach or mixed lettuce, washed & drained 
• 1 x 400g tin cooked black beans, rinsed & drained 
• 1 x 250g punnet of cherry tomatoes, finely diced 
• 1 ripe avocado, diced and tossed with a dash of fresh lemon juice
• Optional - 1/4 cup fresh chives and or coriander, roughly chopped
• Lemon juice

COOKING 

1. Prepare chicken by tossing together chicken pieces, taco seasoning and rice bran oil in a medium bowl.

2. Heat a medium frying pan or grill plate over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is golden or until grill marks form if using a grill. Remove from heat. 

3. Place the baby spinach or lettuce in a large serving bowl. Add the cooked chicken, black beans, tomatoes, lemony avocado and chives and/or coriander, if desired, to the bowl. Sprinkle some fresh lemon juice and black pepper on top if you desire. Toss gently and serve warm.

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes