Culinary SOS: Bluewater Grill’s chicken chopped salad with avocado dressing

Dear SOS: A visiting cousin from Georgia and I recently ate lunch at the Bluewater Grill in Redondo Beach, and she loved the avocado vinaigrette salad dressing — so much so that we returned for dinner the following day just so she could order it again. Any possibility that the Bluewater Grill would share its recipe for this salad dressing? It would make one Georgia Peach very happy.

Mindy Friess

Torrance

Dear Mindy: Anything to keep a Georgia Peach happy! Avocado lends richness to this dressing, which blends fresh lime juice, a touch of Champagne vinegar, cilantro and green onions for a bright and tangy addition to any salad. Bluewater Grill also included its recipe for chicken chopped salad, which uses the dressing.

Bluewater Grill’s chicken chopped salad

Total time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Adapted from Bluewater Grill.

Avocado dressing

1/3 cup lime juice

2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar

3/4 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/3 bunch (about 15 sprigs) cilantro, chopped

1/3 bunch (4 to 6) green onions, green tops only, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

1/3 avocado, diced

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup canola oil

In the bowl of a blender, combine the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, green onion, salt, cayenne pepper and avocado and blend. With the blender running, slowly add the oils to form a thick, creamy dressing. Taste and adjust the flavorings, and seasoning if desired. This makes a scant 2 cups avocado dressing, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days.

Chicken chopped salad

About 2 hearts (1 pound) romaine, chopped

4 grilled half chicken breasts (boneless and skinless), chopped

8 ounces crumbled feta cheese, divided

2 ounces toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), divided

8 ounces cherry or other small tomatoes

1 cup julienned red onions

1 avocado, diced

Avocado dressing

In a large bowl, combine the romaine, chicken, one-half each of the crumbled feta and pumpkin seeds, the tomatoes, onions and diced avocado. Add one-third cup dressing and toss gently to combine. Taste the salad, adding additional dressing as desired and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 4 plates, topping each with the remaining cheese and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 826 calories; 60 grams protein; 20 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams fiber; 58 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 171 mg cholesterol; 8 grams sugar; 850 mg sodium.