Chipotle chicken salad with black beans, roast tomatoes and sweetcorn

From the fiery chipotle to the sweet veg and creamy feta, prepare for a fantastic mix of big umami flavours

You can mix and match ingredients to suit in this delicious. It’s delicious however you serve it.

Ingredients

For the marinated chicken

• 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ medium red onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 2½ tbsp chipotle paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2½ tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• juice of ½ lemon
• For the rest of the salad
• 2 corn on the cob
• 225g cherry tomatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
• 1 x 400g tin black beans
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2 avocados
• juice of 2 limes
• 60g leaves, such as baby spinach, or a mixture of leaves
• 100g feta, crumbled
• 100g sour cream, to serve
• 15g coriander, leaves picked, to serve

For the dressing

• 1½ tbsp finely chopped shallot
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and very finely sliced
• 2 small garlic cloves, grated to a purée
• juice of 2 limes
• 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp honey

Method

1. Put 250g boneless, skinless chicken thighs on a piece of baking parchment and lay another piece of parchment on top.
2. Using a rolling pin, bash the thighs until they are more or less an even thickness – about 3mm. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
3. Put a roughly chopped ½ medium red onion, 3 grated garlic cloves, 2½ tbsp chipotle paste, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2½ tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp dried oregano, juice of ½ lemon, 125ml water and some seasoning into a food processor or blender. Whizz until smooth.
4. Make slits all over the chicken thighs with a sharp knife and put them in a bowl (make sure you don’t cut all the way through).
5. Pour the marinade over and use your hands to ensure that all the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour.
6. Hold 1 corn on the cob standing up in a shallow roasting tin or similar, to catch the kernels. Using a sharp knife, cut down the sides, removing the kernels as you work round the head. Try to keep some of the corn in strips, rather than single kernels. Repeat with the remaining 1 corn on the cob.
7. Heat the oven to 200C/190C fan/gas mark 6.
   Line a large roasting tin with baking parchment.
8. Add 225g cherry tomatoes and the corn to the lined tin, keeping them separate.
9. Drizzle about 2 tbsp olive oil over the top. Season then roast for 15 minutes.
10. Drain 1 x 400g tin of black beans. Rinse well then shake out the water.
11. Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves.
12. Gently cook the garlic until pale gold, then take off the heat and tip the beans in.
13. Season and let the beans sit in this – they get a good flavour as they sit.
14. Whisk 1½ tbsp finely chopped shallot, 1 deseeded and very finely sliced red chilli, 1 small puréed garlic clove, juice of 2 limes, 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tsp honey together, then taste and adjust if you need to. Season.
15. Halve and stone 2 avocados – cut each half into slices and peel off the skin.
16. Put the slices on to a plate, season and pour over the juice of 2 limes.
17. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a thin film of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
18. Cook the chicken in batches, turning frequently, until cooked through – about 8-10 minutes. The marinade that clings to the chicken will make the thighs nice and dark, but don’t allow them to burn.
19. Remove the chicken to a large cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
20. Cut the chicken thighs into thick slices, keeping the slices from each thigh together so you can move them on to the salad.
21. Dress the leaves and arrange them round the rim of a shallow serving bowl or plate.
22. Lightly mix the corn, tomatoes, black beans and 100g crumbled feta with more of the dressing. Arrange on the plate.
23. Arrange the avocado slices on top then, carefully, the slices of chicken, keeping each thigh together.
24. Spoon on 100g sour cream, scatter over 15g coriander leaves and enjoy!