I love recreating meals from places I travel and keeping the recipes like a little collection of souvenirs. Way better than a shelf of dust-collecting do-dads, imo.

I’ll always remember that trip to LA when I had the best caesar salad of my life. Who knew that cilantro & lime would make such good caesar dressing?

Why You'll Love This Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe

You'll love this Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad for its perfect combination of smoky, grilled shrimp and crisp, fresh greens. The tangy Caesar dressing pairs beautifully with the tender shrimp, while the crunchy corn and creamy avocado add a satisfying texture. It's a quick and delicious meal that's both light and flavorful.

Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe Ingredients

For the dressing

• Egg yolks
• Lime
• Garlic
• Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos, or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• Olive oil
• Cilantro
• Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt

For the Salad

• Shrimp
• Sea salt
• Lime
• Garlic powder
• Avocado oil
• Cobs of fresh corn
• Romaine lettuce
• Avocados
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Pepitas

How to Make a Caesar Salad with Shrimp

To make the dressing:

1. Put the egg yolks, juice from the lime, garlic clove, and Worcestershire (or whatever else you're using) in the work bowl of a food processor. (See notes if you don't have a food processor.)
2. Process until everything is smooth. While the machine is running, add the olive oil.
3. Turn the machine off and add the cilantro, Parmesan, and sea salt. Pulse until combined. Taste, and add a bit more salt and/or lime juice if you feel it needs it.
4. Chill until ready to use. You can make the dressing up to 2 days in advance for best flavor.

To make the salad:

1. Sprinkle the shrimp with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Add the juice from the lime, garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Mix everything well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 3 hours. You can thread them on skewers now or immediately before grilling.
2. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of the oil on the corn cobs, using your hands to coat them well.
3. Cut the Romaine heads in half lengthwise -- KEEPING THE ROOT END IN TACT. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of oil on the cut sides of the lettuce.
4. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
5. Put the corn and shrimp on the grill together (if you have room). Grill for several minutes, turning each until golden brown spots form. The shrimp probably be done before the corn, so take them off when they turn pink. (Too long and you'll end up with rubber.)
6. Put the Romaine on the grill, cut-side down next to the corn (if you have room). Grill the lettuce for just a minute or two on each side until the edges of lettuce turn a little black and charred.
7. Remove the lettuce and the corn when they're both done. Cut the corn off the cobs.
8. Assemble the salads by using ½ of a head of romaine as a base. Top with a few shrimp, grilled corn, avocado slices, tomatoes, pepitas, and a big drizzle of the Santa Fe Caesar dressing.
9. Or just throw it all onto a platter and let people have at it.

Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe Variations

Grilled vegetables - Add peppers, zucchini, or asparagus for extra variety and flavor.

Nuts or seeds - Add hemp hearts, flaxseeds or sesame seeds as a flavorful garnish.

Tips For Making a Perfect Shrimp Caesar Salad

Don't let your lettuce get soggy and wilted; simply grill it for a minute or two to char the edges slightly.

I like to make the dressing a day in advance to let the flavors develop.

If you don't have a food processor, mince the garlic as fine as you can (or use a Microplane grater), then whisk it with the yolks, lime juice, Worcestershire, and olive oil. Whisk in the cilantro, Parmesan, and salt. You could also use a blender to buzz everything up really well.

What to Serve with Shrimp Caesar Salad

More Hearty Salad Recipes from Perry's Plate

Strawberry Cobb Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette -- A fun twist on a traditional cobb salad with fresh strawberries and the most delicious fruity balsamic dressing. (I like twisting things, can you tell?)

Grilled Jerk Chicken & Mango Salad -- Spicy + sweet going on here. And a handful of plantain chips just makes this super delightful.

Fiesta Lime Chicken Salad -- Another restaurant knock off! Well, kind of. I based a salad on the Tequila-Lime (turned Fiesta Lime) Chicken at Applebee's. I like it better in salad form, to be honest.

Grilled Vegetable and Rotisserie Chicken Salad is one of my summertime go-to's. Rotisserie chicken makes it super easy to make, but you can use any cooked chicken here.

Caesar Salad With Grilled Shrimp

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

When Steve and I were in LA earlier this year we ate the most wonderful Caesar salad of our lives at Jimmy's Famous American Tavern. I immediately got to work and recreated it to share with you. The cilantro-lime caesar dressing ALONE is worth making this.

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Ingredients

For the dressing

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 juicy lime
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos, or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup fresh cilantro (about a handful)
• ½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For the Salad

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and tails removed (wild-caught, if possible)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large juicy lime
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 2-3 cobs of fresh corn
• 2 large heads of Romaine lettuce
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• ⅓ cup pepitas

Instructions

To make the dressing:

1. Put the egg yolks, juice from the lime, garlic clove, and Worcestershire (or whatever else you're using) in the work bowl of a food processor. (See notes if you don't have a food processor.)
2. Process until everything is smooth. While the machine is running, add the olive oil.
3. Turn the machine off and add the cilantro, Parmesan, and sea salt. Pulse until combined. Taste, and add a bit more salt and/or lime juice if you feel it needs it.
4. Chill until ready to use. You can make the dressing up to 2 days in advance for best flavor.

To make the salad:

1. Sprinkle the shrimp with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Add the juice from the lime, garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Mix everything well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 3 hours. You can thread them on skewers now or immediately before grilling.
2. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of the oil on the corn cobs, using your hands to coat them well.
3. Cut the Romaine heads in half lengthwise -- KEEPING THE ROOT END IN TACT. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of oil on the cut sides of the lettuce.
4. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
5. Put the corn and shrimp on the grill together (if you have room). Grill for several minutes, turning each until golden brown spots form. The shrimp probably be done before the corn, so take them off when they turn pink. (Too long and you'll end up with rubber.)
6. Put the Romaine on the grill, cut-side down next to the corn (if you have room). Grill the lettuce for just a minute or two on each side until the edges of lettuce turn a little black and charred.
7. Remove the lettuce and the corn when they're both done. Cut the corn off the cobs.
8. Assemble the salads by using ½ of a head of romaine as a base. Top with a few shrimp, grilled corn, avocado slices, tomatoes, pepitas, and a big drizzle of the Santa Fe Caesar dressing.
9. Or just throw it all onto a platter and let people have at it.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. If you are avoiding fresh corn for a particular reason, diced grilled zucchini would be a great substitute.

2. If you don't have a food processor, mince the garlic as fine as you can (or use a Microplane grater), then whisk it with the yolks, lime juice, Worcestershire, and olive oil. Whisk in the cilantro, Parmesan, and salt. You could also use a blender to buzz everything up really well.

The post Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe appeared first on Perry's Plate.

This salad, guys. It's SO bold.

Salad with wimpy dressings make me sad. This Syrian salad is definitely not one of those.

Before I give you the low down on that salad, let me talk about Liz. Do you follow Liz's blog, The Lemon Bowl? She's fabulous -- super confident and adventurous, and totally gorgeous.

Liz also has a rich family heritage, and she just released a new recipe ebook dedicated to her Syrian family -- The Ultimate Syrian Sunday Dinner. It's the fourth part in her Food From Our Ancestors Series.

This may have been the first time I grated fresh garlic directly onto a salad. I like it.

This is the star of the show, though. Have you ever used za'atar seasoning? It's a Middle Eastern herb and spice blend.

I have a lame story about za'atar. Want to hear it? Several years ago we lived down the street from the nicest Israeli couple who were going to grad school the same time we were. Nitzan, the wife, gave me a jar of za'atar blend once, and I was thrilled because I'd never tried it before! It was in an empty baby food jar and.... I couldn't get it open. Neither could Steve. So it sat in my spice cabinet for EIGHT YEARS, and I finally tossed it last year because I figured it would be old and flavorless even if I could get it open. The end.

Don't be scared when you sprinkle a whole lot of this blend on your salad.

I looked in few stores for this blend and couldn't find it, and after a quick Google search, I realized I had everything to make it at home! Sumac isn't something I usually have on hand, but I happened to have some in a Trader Joe's spice blend pack. If you need a recipe, here's the one I used: Homemade Za'atar Seasoning (except I didn't blend the sesame seeds)

I'm excited to try the other recipes from The Ultimate Syrian Sunday Dinner book! Go grab a copy and whip up this Syrian Salad and some Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. And a big bowl of Aunt Vieve's Hummus. Or buy the whole Food From Our Ancestors bundle and get the Jewish, Mexican, and Italian Sunday Dinner books, too!

And then call me and we can do an ultimate Sunday dinner potluck.SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Syrian Salad

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This Syrian Salad. It's seriously SO bold. It's the best punch of flavor in the face that you'll ever get. And you won't be able to stop eating!

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Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 cups Romaine Lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup diced tomato (about two medium)
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ¼ cup minced parsley
• ¼ cup minced fresh mint or 1 Tablespoon dried mint
• 2 cloves garlic, grated/crushed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons za'atar (a Middle Eastern spice and herb blend)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place the first six ingredients in a large salad bowl (Romaine through mint)
2. Squeeze juice of one lemon around the bowl, carefully holding your opposite hand underneath to catch the seeds.
3. Using a microplane, grate the garlic directly over the salad.
4. Drizzle salad with olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with za'atar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Gently toss the salad together. Check for seasoning and adjusting accordingly.

Notes

Shared with permission from Food From My Ancestors: Ultimate Syrian Sunday Dinner by Liz Della Croce.

The post Syrian Salad with Za'atar Vinaigrette appeared first on Perry's Plate.

It's ridiculous that I haven't posted these Bacon Cobb Lettuce Wraps until now because I've made it so many times as a quick, weeknight dinner!

And any time I pull out a big plate of bacon there is much rejoicing.

Speaking of bacon, I REALLY hope you're baking it in the oven now. If not, and you have a big family, you need to! Just line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire cooling rack on top and put as much bacon as you can fit on there in a single layer. Bake it at 400 degrees until it's a crispy as you like.

I like COMPLETELY crispy. I can't do the chewy stuff. *shudder*

Summer is the perfect time to make these, too, because the tomatoes are AMAZE right now.

(I need to stop watching Barbie on Netflix. With my kids, that is. I mean, I'm in the room and all...)

One of my favorite parts of this recipe is the easy garlic mustard dressing. It's so easy to throw together, and you can mix the leftovers with a can of tuna and some chopped pickles for some killer tuna salad.

I added hard boiled eggs the last time I made these. SOLID MOVE. It bumped these from BLT lettuce wrap to some kind of BLT-Cobb hybrid.

Have you tried my Sweet Potato Fry Seasoning? A batch of sweet potato fries would be amazing with these! Those crinkle fries up in that photo are the Butternut Zig Zags from Trader Joe's, and I grab a couple packages every time I go to change up our fry routine.

Aw, look, there's Mr. Perry's Plate.

JK, I'm not going to get all cryptic. It's Steve.

He gave these an enthusiastic head bob. That's how I tell if he loves something -- he's a man of little visual enthusiasm.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to try my Chicken Apple Salad next!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Bacon Cobb Lettuce Wraps

Yield: Serves 6

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Cobb salad meets BLT meets lettuce wrap -- drizzled with a creamy mustard sauce.

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Ingredients

For the Wraps:

Toggle ingredient group

• 12-16 ounce package of uncured, nitrate-free bacon (preferably pastured)
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• 2-3 ripe avocados
• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 2-3 heads of baby romaine lettuce

For the Garlic Mustard Dressing:

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ cup of paleo-friendly mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• a few pinches of sea salt
• 1-2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond or coconut milk

Instructions

1. Cook the package of bacon in a skillet or in the oven until it's as crisp as you want it.
2. Slice the tomato. Peel, pit, and slice the avocados. Peel and slice the eggs. Separate the lettuce leaves.
3. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing.
4. Assemble the lettuce wraps and drizzle some dressing over the top.

Whole30 Adaptation: Use yellow mustard instead of Dijon and make sure your bacon and mayo are sugar-free and compliant.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. To bake bacon, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire cooling rack on top and put as much bacon as you can fit on there in a single layer. Bake it at 400 degrees until it's a crispy as you like.

SaveSave

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The post Bacon Cobb Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Get excited -- I've got a lot of fresh, summery recipes to share with you -- that don't require an oven. So, lettuce wraps. Yay!

Is it getting hot where you are?

It's been in the high 80s this week which is rapidly approaching my comfort threshold. I'm a hot-weather wimp. I admit it. I'm really grateful that it's not ridiculously hot where we live -- except in the middle of the summer. When it's supposed to be.

Despite having a great A/C, the downstairs tends to heat up when I use the oven in the summer, so I avoid it when I can.

Lettuce wraps are a summertime staple for me. I could eat them every day -- much to the chagrin of my kids who tolerate them occasionally.

My favorite part about this particular lettuce wrap is that I sneaked mushrooms into the meat mixture and my kids didn't even know. Sneaking mushrooms is kind of a thing I do. Just for kicks -- like in this Paleo Creamy Mushroom Soup aka "Bacon Soup" -- which is what my kids call it.

Once it all cooks down you can barely even tell the difference. No one said a word about it and I silently giggled to myself.

It's also nice to do this to stretch the meat a little further. I'm always looking to do that because pastured/grass-fed meat isn't cheap. Luckily I can get pork and beef really easily from a local university ranch, but it's still $6/pound for ground meat.

These are hearty and filling, but light at the same time. I love that I was able to incorporate some Marinated Cucumbers to these. You can use plain sliced cukes if you want, but I love that extra little vinegary kick.

I added these at the last minute when I saw some leftovers sitting in the fridge -- SUCH a good decision. In case you get any ideas about my recipe writing process being super sophisticated and glamorous, I'll let you know that a lot of the food and flavor pairings have to do with some kind of leftovers sitting in my fridge that need to be used.

I know, it totally takes the magic out of it, right? Sometimes I do come up with great ideas solely in my head, but most of the time I'm just cleaning out the fridge.

One more thing -- don't leave off that aioli. That right there is the icing on the.... lettuce wrap. Um, that sounds gross. But you know what I meant.

More Asian-inspired One-pan recipes

Here are a few of our favorite Asian-inspired recipes made in just one skillet or pot!

A family favorite -- Egg Roll in a Bowl with Sriracha Mayo is easy to throw together and has all of the tasty flavors of Chinese egg rolls!

Thai Green Curry Zoodles with Shrimp & Broccoli is a knock off of one of my favorite meals from Noodles & Co. It's a great meal for hot summer days, too.

Easy Paleo Pad Thai is another meal on our "favorite dinner list". And another meal made in under 30 minutes!

Paleo Thai Shrimp & Vegetable Skillet is very similar to these egg roll bowls -- but with a Thai flair.

Mango Chicken Curry is an oldie, but such a great recipe for a quick weeknight dinner.

Asian Pork and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

For the filling

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 - 2 ½ pound ground pork
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and quartered
• 8 whole garlic cloves (or 2 Tablespoons minced)
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, quartered
• 24 ounces brown mushrooms, halved
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced

For the chili mayo

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ cup paleo-friendly mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon sambal oelek or Asian garlic chili sauce
• pinch of sea salt

For serving

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 recipe, Marinated Cucumbers
• 3 heads of baby Romaine lettuce

Instructions

1. Pour the avocado and sesame oils into a very large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, breaking up the meat, until the meat is cooked through and begins to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. While the pork is cooking, place the quartered onion, garlic, and ginger in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
3. Use the food processor to chop the mushrooms, too, working in batches. Don't fill the work bowl higher than the center of the blade or they won't chop evenly. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the bowl with the onion mixture.
4. When the pork has crispy brown spots, add the onion-mushroom mixture to the pan along with the salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and onions have cooked down quite a bit and the moisture has cooked off, about 8-10 minutes.
5.  Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the aioli and chill until ready to use.
6. Add the coconut aminos and rice vinegar to the pork mixture and stir to combine. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the liquid is gone. Stir in the green onions. Taste, and add more salt, if necessary.
7. Assemble the lettuce wraps by putting a few marinated cucumbers into a lettuce leave. Top with a couple spoonfuls of the pork mixture and a drizzle of aioli.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. You can make the Marinated Cucumbers and Chili-Lime Aioli up to 5 days in advance.

2. If you aren't picky about soy, you can use 3 Tablespoons tamari or gluten-free soy sauce in place of the coconut aminos.

The post Asian Pork and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Perry's Plate.

This recipe has been updated (again) with paleo/Whole30 adaptations! Scroll down to find the adaptations in the recipe notes. 

I LOVE Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

Juicy chicken breasts get marinated in a vibrant blend of lime, chipotle, and spices that punch way above their weight. Grill or pan-sear them, and you’ll have a dish that’s both bright and deeply satisfying.

Serve it over rice, in tacos, or next to veggies for a meal that whispers “fancy restaurant” but feels totally doable. This is the chicken you’ll want to make for guests.

Why You'll Love this Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe

You'll love this copycat recipe of Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken for its irresistible Tex-Mex flavors. With grilled chicken, Mexi-Ranch Sauce, melted cheese, crispy tortilla strips, and fresh pico de gallo, it captures the essence of the restaurant favorite. Enjoy a homemade version bursting with tangy, spicy goodness that's sure to satisfy your cravings.

Fiesta Chicken Salad Ingredients

For the chicken

• Chicken fillets
• Soy sauce
• Lime juice
• Garlic (about 2 cloves)
• Mesquite smoke
• Salt
• Ginger

Mexi-Ranch Sauce

• Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Buttermilk (or regular milk)
• Minced tomato (optional)
• White vinegar
• Dried minced onion
• Hot sauce
• Salt
• Dried dill weed
• Paprika
• Cayenne
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper

You'll also need . . .

• Cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend
• Tortilla chips or baked tortilla strips
• Romaine hearts
• Diced tomato
• Pico de gallo
• Avocados
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

How to Make Fiesta Lime Chicken (Applebee's Copycat)

1. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise, so you have really thin cuts. Combine the chicken with the rest of the ingredients in that ingredient section in a large zip top bag. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or several hours in the refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the Mexi-Ranch sauce in a small bowl. Chill until ready to use. (This tastes better if it sits for an hour or so before you use it.)
3. Prep the rest of the garnishes while the chicken is marinating. Turn on your oven broiler and preheat your BBQ grill (or stove-top grill pan) to medium-high heat. (Yes, you'll need both!) Grill chicken, flipping once, until cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet. Spread about a tablespoon of Mexi-Ranch sauce on each breast and top with a few pinches of shredded cheese. Broil chicken for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and begins to brown in spots.
5. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing it.
6. Toss the salad greens with about ½ cup of Mexi-Ranch sauce.
7. Assemble salads by placing a bed of lettuce on a plate and topping it with sliced chicken, tortilla strips, diced tomato, avocados, cilantro, and lime wedges. Add more dressing if necessary.

Tips

• Combine the ingredients for the Mexi-Ranch sauce about an hour before eating it for the flavors to develop.
• I like slicing the chicken into really thin strips for maximum flavor and fast cooking time!

How to Serve Applebees Fiesta Lime Chicken

This recipe can really be served as is! It’s healthy and hearty. If you want something more, try serving it with Roasted Cauliflower Rice.

How to Store Fiesta Chicken Salad

This salad is best eaten fresh as the lettuce and tortilla strips will get soggy and gross.
If you really can’t finish it in one sitting, I would keep it in a lidded container for a day.

How to freeze Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

To freeze the chicken, pop into a freezer-safe container when it’s cooled down. Keep it frozen for up to 3 months.

How to reheat this Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe

The best way to reheat the chicken is in an oven or airfryer if you have one. Place them in a preheated oven for 3-4 minutes at 400°F (200°C).

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken FAQs

Copycat Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

I took the classic Fiesta Lime Chicken from Applebee's and reworked it into a big ass salad. I also made it paleo and Whole30 friendly!

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Ingredients

For the chicken

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken fillets
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon liquid mesquite smoke
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Mexi-Ranch Sauce

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ cup Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 Tablespoons buttermilk (or 2 Tablespoons regular milk)
• 2 Tablespoons minced tomato (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon dried minced onion
• ½ teaspoon hot sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• Dash ground black pepper

You'll also need . . .

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend
• 3 cups crumbled tortilla chips or baked tortilla strips
• 2 Romaine hearts, trimmed and chopped
• Diced tomato or pico de gallo, sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions

1. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise, so you have really thin cuts. Combine the chicken with the rest of the ingredients in that ingredient section in a large zip top bag. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or several hours in the refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the Mexi-Ranch sauce in a small bowl. Chill until ready to use. (This tastes better if it sits for an hour or so before you use it.)
3. Prep the rest of the garnishes while the chicken is marinating. Turn on your oven broiler and preheat your BBQ grill (or stove-top grill pan) to medium-high heat. (Yes, you'll need both!) Grill chicken, flipping once, until cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet. Spread about a tablespoon of Mexi-Ranch sauce on each breast and top with a few pinches of shredded cheese. Broil chicken for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and begins to brown in spots.
5. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing it.
6. Toss the salad greens with about ½ cup of Mexi-Ranch sauce.
7. Assemble salads by placing a bed of lettuce on a plate and topping it with sliced chicken, tortilla strips, diced tomato, avocados, cilantro, and lime wedges. Add more dressing if necessary.

Notes

Paleo/Whole30 adaptation:

• For the marinade: half the amount of water and use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
• For the dressing: use 1 cup of paleo mayonnaise for the Greek yogurt and sour cream, almond milk or coconut milk for the buttermilk.
• Omit the tortilla chips and use a couple of Tablespoons of nutritional yeast in place of the cheese.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Avocado Bacon Salad

This avocado and bacon salad might just be the ultimate salad experience. I mean, who can resist the combination of those two delicious ingredients, especially when paired with fresh parmesan? Plus, the tangy avocado dressing will leave you craving another bite.

Ingredients For The Perfect Bacon Salad

For The Bacon Avocado Salad

• Avocado
• Bacon
• Parmesan or Romano cheese shavings
• Salad greens

For The Tangy Avocado Dressing

• Avocado
• Green onion
• Sour cream
• Mayonnaise or plain yogurt
• Apple cider vinegar
• Honey
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

How to Make Avocado Salad With Bacon

1. To prepare the dressing, place all dressing ingredients into a small food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
2. Toss dressing with salad greens and top with avocado slices, bacon crumbles, and cheese shavings.

Customize Your Bacon Avocado Salad

Nuts and Seeds - Feel free to add walnuts, almond slices, sunflower seeds or flaxseeds. Anything goes!

Other vegetables - you can add more traditional salad ingredients like tomatoes and cucumbers, or even some roasted veggies like butternut would be a delicious addition.

What to Serve with Bacon and Avocado Salad

This salad would be a great side for Burgers on the Smoker, Easy Greek Steak Kabobs, Grilled Sablefish or Gluten Free Meatloaf.

Tasty Potluck Salads with Creamy Dressing

Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad

Fiesta Lime Chicken Salad

Grilled Vegetable and Andouille Salad with Spicy Ranch

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If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Avocado Lettuce Salad With Bacon

Yield: Serves 6

Avocado + bacon + Parmesan might be my all-time favorite combination. The tangy avocado dressing pulls everything together. The lettuce? Merely a vehicle for greatness.

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Ingredients

For the salad

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 6 ounces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ⅓ cup fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese shavings
• 12 ounces of salad greens

For the dressing

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ of an avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into large chunks
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 3 Tablespoons sour cream
• 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise or plain yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. To prepare the dressing, place all dressing ingredients into a small food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
2. Toss dressing with salad greens and top with avocado slices, bacon crumbles, and cheese shavings.

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