Chickpea Corn Fiesta Salad

This recipe started as the lazy man’s way to make my Chickpea Street Corn Tacos, but when I served it to my friends with my Never-Fail Salad Dressing  it became a cult classic. I’ve been asked to make it over and over again. I’ve been told it’s the best meal I’ve ever made (which is honestly almost offensive, but whatever the salad’s dang good.)

The bonus part of this salad is that it only takes 30 minutes to make, start to finish, and it makes enough to share or to bring for lunch all week. It’s vegetarian, but if you wanted to make it vegan just leave off the cheese and greek yogurt. Or if you want to add some grilled chicken or shrimp, be my guest. Your salad, your rules. I’m just the messenger.

More salads to try: Avocado Toast Salad + Vegetarian Blueberry Cobb Salad in a Jar + Healthy Chinese Chicken Kale Salad + Crispy Avocado Summer Salad + Deconstructed Sushi Salad + Mushroom Po’Boy Salad

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Chickpea Corn Fiesta Salad

This easy vegetarian Chickpea Corn Fiesta Salad is the perfect 30 minute meal for busy weeknights or work lunches. Who can resist a fiesta in a bowl?

Course Main Course, Salad, Stuff in a Bowl

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Brewing Happiness

Ingredients

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 - 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 1 poblano pepper, seeds removed and diced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup cotija cheese
• 3 small corn tortillas, cut into 1/2" strips
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt (sub sour cream)
• 1/2 cup Never Fail Salad Dressing using lime instead of lemon
• cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lay your tortilla strips flat onto a baking sheet. Spray the top with cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing ever 5 minutes, until crispy.

2. Meanwhile, drain and rinse your chickpeas and frozen corn in a colander. Transfer both to a dish towel and gently pat dry. 

3. Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add in chickpeas, frozen corn, and diced poblano pepper. Season with chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss for 5-7 minutes, until everything is warm and well seasoned. 

4. Add a large handful of shredded romaine to a bowl. Top with 1/4 - 1/3 cup of your chickpea corn mixture. Crumble cotija cheese on top. 

5. Serve with 1/4 avocado, sliced, a dollop of greek yogurt, crispy tortilla strips, a garnish of cilantro, and a drizzle of Never Fail Salad Dressing. 

6. EAT UP.

Let’s talk about self-judgement. Let’s talk about those nasty self-deprecating thoughts that pass through our mind each and every day. They paralyze us. They limit our success.

It has taken me months to get this recipe up on the blog, because I thought it was too simple. I thought no one would care. I listened to these voices in my head that told me I needed to be more inventive. They talked me into inaction.

I do this all the time. I consider putting something on my instagram story or tweeting something and I talk myself out of it. Perhaps it’s fear of judgement. Or perhaps it’s self-judgement. Preemptive and debilitating self-judgement. Either way I want it gone.

I’m working these days on self-soothing. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Because the truth is that people care WAY LESS about the things you do than you assume. We’re all too busy self judging to judge others most of the time.

Who wants to live in a culture of fear anyway? I want to live in a world where people aren’t afraid to be their full, vulnerable human selves. It takes courage to be vibrantly human.

I’ve been reflecting on the innovators in creative fields. What was it they did that made them stand out? What made them successful? And I’ve come to realize that even the most unique art is still drawing inspiration from somewhere. Imagine if Picasso or Wes Anderson decided never to make art because they didn’t think their vision was unique enough. Imagine if they gave into the self talk.

We all have a message and a perspective that deserves to be heard. All we have to do is continue to put ourselves out there. Make the salad. Put it on the internet. Do the scary thing. Don’t talk yourself out of it. We need you in this world. Don’t deprive us of that. xo.