Chipotle Lime Grilled Steak Salad
/If you liked our recipe for Chipotle Corn and Bean Salad published in an earlier blog post you will love this Chipotle Lime Grilled Steak Salad. This meal-maker salad is perfect for summer grilling season when fresh tomatoes are abundant and warmer weather calls for a lighter meal. Piquant lime, smoky chipotle chili, savory red onion, and tangy feta cheese pack a lot of flavor into this low-calorie meal.
Chipotle Lime Grilled Steak Salad - Easy Gluten-Free Cooking
Photo by Laurel F. (modified) Creative Commons license 2.0
Chipotle Lime Grilled Steak Salad
This healthy light salad is perfect for hot summer evenings when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen by turning on the oven or the stove. It features lean boneless top round steak, juicy ripe tomatoes, tangy lime, savory red onion, and a sprinkling of tart feta (goat cheese).
Chipotle Lime Grilled Steak Salad - Easy Gluten-Free Cooking
Photo by Joe Haupt (modified) - Creative Commons license 2.0
If you don’t eat red meat you can substitute boneless skinless chicken breast. Just be sure to cook the chicken until it is opaque all the way through when cut with a knife (at least 165 degrees F as measured with a meat thermometer).
This recipe serves 4 as an entrée.
Ingredients
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground chipotle chili
1 1/2 pounds lean boneless top round steak (substitute boneless skinless chicken breast)
2 limes, juiced (about 2 TBSP of juice)
1/4 tsp granulated garlic (do not use garlic powder or garlic salt) *
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large head or 2 smaller heads of Romaine lettuce, washed and sliced into thick ribbons (substitute two 12-oz packages of pre-washed salad greens)
1 cup cilantro, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 1 medium bunch)
3/4 cup red onion, sliced into thin crescents, slices halved into bite-sized pieces
4 ripe tomatoes, cut into thin wedges (substitute 1 pint of cherry tomatoes)
4 oz feta (goat cheese), crumbled
* Granulated garlic is made from dehydrated garlic cloves that have been coarsely ground. You can identify it by its gritty, sand-like texture. Do not use garlic powder (which has a flour-like texture) as it will be too pungent. Do not use garlic salt (a mixture of granulated garlic and salt) as it will be too salty.
Cookware
Barbecue grill with grill grate
2 small bowls
Liquid measuring cup (1-cup size or larger)
Citrus juicer
Colander
4 large serving plates
Metal grill tongs
Meat thermometer (optional)
Plastic cutting board
Large pan lid to cover the cutting board
Instructions
1. Preheat the grill to medium high heat (350 to 400 degrees F).
2. Add the salt and ground chipotle chili to one of the small bowls. Stir to combine.
3. Trim excess fat from the steak (or chicken).
4. Rub the seasoned salt into both sides of the steak (or chicken).
5. Juice the limes into the liquid measuring cup.
6. Add the granulated garlic to the lime juice. Stir to combine.
7. Add the vegetable oil to the lime juice. Use a fork to whisk the oil into the lime juice. Set aside.
8. Rinse the Romaine lettuce in the colander. Invert the head of lettuce (upside down) in the colander and allow the lettuce to drain thoroughly. Shake the head of Romaine lettuce upside down over the sink until it is dry. You may also use a salad spinner to quickly remove excess water. Slice the Romaine lettuce into thick ribbons. (If substituting pre-washed, bagged salad greens then skip this step.)
9. Divide the lettuce evenly among the four serving plates.
10. Rinse the cilantro in the colander and shake it dry. Remove the stems from enough cilantro leaves to yield 1 cup of cilantro leaves. Coarsely chop the cilantro. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro leaves over the lettuce.
11. Slice the red onion into thin crescents. Halve each crescent and separate the rings into bite-sized pieces. Layer the onion crescents evenly over the lettuce.
12. Rinse the tomatoes in the colander. Cut the blossom end from the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into thick wedges (substitute cherry tomatoes). Arrange the tomatoes on top of the lettuce. Transfer the salads to the refrigerator until serving time.
13. Crumble the feta (goat cheese) into the second small bowl. Transfer the crumbled feta to the refrigerator until serving time.
14. When the barbecue grill is done pre-heating use the grill tongs to transfer the seasoned steak (or chicken) to the hottest part of the grill grate. Close the barbecue lid and sear the steak (or chicken) for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the steak (or chicken), close the barbecue grill lid, and sear the second side of the steak (or chicken) for 2 to 3 minutes.
15. When both sides of the meat have been seared move the steak (or chicken) to a cooler portion of the grill away from direct flames. Close the barbecue lid and cook the meat until it is done (medium rare or medium for steak, well done for chicken).
Test for doneness by using a meat thermometer or making a small cut in the meat. Steak that is medium rare will have an outside that is fully cooked, a red-pink center, and will register 135 to 140 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.
If you like your steak slightly more cooked then leave it on the grill until it is medium (center is pink and no longer red, 145 degrees F as measured with a meat thermometer).
If you are substituting boneless chicken breast you will need to cook the chicken until it is well done (opaque all the way through when cut with a knife, at least 165 degrees F as measured with a meat thermometer).
16. When the steak (or chicken) is done cooking turn off the barbecue grill (if using a gas grill). Use the grill tongs to transfer the cooked steak (or chicken) to the cutting board. Cover the steak (or chicken) with a pan lid to retain heat. Allow the meat to rest for 3 to 5 minutes so that it will be easier to slice.
17. While the meat is resting on the cutting board remove the salads and the feta (goat cheese) from the refrigerator. Whisk the lime and oil mixture with a fork. Use a spoon to drizzle the lime and oil mixture over the salad greens.
Chipotle Lime Grilled Steak Salad - Easy Gluten-Free Cooking
Photo by Jeff Hutchison (modified) Creative Commons License 2.0
18. When the meat has finished resting slice it into thin slices by cutting across the grain. Cut each slice into bite-sized pieces. Layer the sliced meat over the salads.
19. Sprinkle the crumbled feta (goat cheese) over the salads. Serve immediately while the meat is still warm.
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