Indulge in a delightful and effortless salad, made just for warm summer evenings. This refreshing salad highlights the vibrant flavors of seasonal ingredients like red peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and corn. The dressing perfectly balances the subtle sweetness and tanginess of limes and buttermilk, and lasts in the fridge for up to a week.

Mexican Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Lime Dressing

Photo and recipe by Kristina Case, adapted from Catherine Newman

• Juice of 2 limes (around ⅓ cup), plus the finely grated zest of one of the limes
• 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided use
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 head of iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 can corn, drained (or use fresh corn from 3 cobs)
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 12 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• ½ a bag of tortilla chips, crushed

Chicken Marinade: whisk together the lime juice and zest, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the garlic, and the cilantro. Pour half of this lime mixture into a dish large enough to hold the chicken, then whisk in the olive oil and the other teaspoon of salt. Add the chicken; turn to coat it with the marinade, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to 4 hours and for as little as 20 minutes.

Dressing: Now, take the remaining half of the lime mixture and whisk in the mayo, buttermilk, and sugar. Taste it--add salt, sugar, or lime as needed--then cover and refrigerate. If you want a smoother texture, you can blend it.

Cook the chicken: either grill or sauté until done. Cool and slice.

Assemble salad (use a large mixing bowl): add lettuce, corn, beans, red bell pepper, tomatoes, chicken, tortilla chips, and dressing. Toss to coat, add sliced avocadoes on top.

You can also add more lime juice and cilantro if desired.