Taco Salad with Skinny Chipotle Ranch Dressing
 
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This Southwestern-inspired taco salad in a fun and edible tortilla bowl is a hearty, healthy meal. You can use any dressing you wish, but the skinny chipotle ranch is low in calories yet decadent and packed with flavor.
Author:
Recipe Type: Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Tortilla Bowls:
  • 4 (10-inch) soft tortillas
Taco Salad:
  • 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes
  • 20 onces romaine or other lettuce
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 (15½-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups)
  • 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
  • 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup chopped chives/spring onions
  • ½ pound roasted or rotisserie chicken, shredded (optional)
Skinny Chipotle Ranch Dressing (Makes 1 cup):
  • 1 chile chipotle in adobo, plus 1 teaspoon adobo liquid
  • ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup chopped scallions
  • 3 cloves garlic
Directions
For the Tortilla Bowls:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Put each tortilla inside an ovenproof metal bowl so it fills the inside and molds to the shape of the bowl (if the tortillas are a little stale put them in the microwave or oven for a minute to soften them).
  3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing. It should keep the shape of the bowl.
For the Taco Salad:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Roast the sweet potatoes until softened and cooked through, about 1 hour (or microwave). (I like to roast a few sweet potatoes at once and then use them throughout the week in salads.)
  3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Either toss all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl and transfer to tortilla bowls, or layer directly in the tortilla bowl. Top with Skinny Chipotle Ranch Dressing and serve.
Skinny Chipotle Ranch Dressing:
  1. Put the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste. Serve, or store in a cruet in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Make vegetarian and kosher dairy by omitting the chicken. Make gluten free simply by omitting the tortilla bowls (still delicious, I promise) - or use GF corn tortillas.
Recipe by Katherine Martinelli at http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2012/taco-salad-with-skinny-chipotle-ranch-dressing/