I have never been able to do the cold-pizza-for-breakfast thing, but there are some foods I just love eating cold the day after—fried or barbecued chicken, for instance. Happily, my local grocery store does rotisserie chicken, either plain or barbecue, and on weeknights when homework is taking forever, I am grateful for this easy main course salad that the kids will actually dig into. For my husband and me, it’s all about the creamy, spicy poblano dressing. But for the kids it’s strictly ranch—no cilantro, please! For a more substantial meal, serve this with corn bread or, better yet, jalapeño corn bread (add chopped pickled jalapeños to your favorite recipe).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 1/2 to 2 cups diced barbecued chicken meat, from leftovers or a store-bought roasted chicken

　　1 ripe avocado, diced

　　1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, or 2 ears corn, grilled in the husk (see below), then shucked and cut from the cob

　　1/4 cup thinly sliced celery or celery hearts

　　3 scallions, thinly sliced

　　1 head Bibb lettuce, broken into leaves, washed, and dried

　　Creamy Poblano Dressing (or quick ranch dressing)

　　

Creamy Poblano Dressing

1 poblano, roasted and peeled (see below)

　　2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

　　2 tablespoons chopped scallion greens

　　1 garlic clove

　　1 cup Mayonnaise (p. 181)

　　2 tablespoons sour cream or buttermilk

　　

Step 1

Toss all the ingredients except dressing in a salad bowl, then toss in the dressing or serve it on the side.

　　

Creamy Poblano Dressing

Step 2

Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings as necessary.

　　

Notes

Step 3

Feel free to also add red peppers, tomatoes, and cotija (an aged Mexican cheese) or any crumbly white cheese to the salad. This salad is also delicious with corn bread croutons. Day-old corn bread actually works best, because it will be drier. If you use fresh, you can dry it out in a 350°F oven for a few minutes.) Cut the corn bread into cubes, toss them with a little melted butter, and toast in a 350°F oven until golden brown and crisp. Let them cool, and toss with the salad.

　　

Grilling Corn

Step 4

Grilled corn has a sweet, smoky flavor that’s great on its own (eaten off the cob with butter and a squirt of lime) and in salads. You’ll want to grill the corn in its husk, because this preserves moisture and imparts a distinctive sweet and “corny” flavor. Simply soak the ears in cold water for about 20 minutes. Place them directly on a medium-low grill or over pale gray coals, and cover. Grill for about 20 minutes, turning the cobs every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. As with any cooked corn, you’ll know it’s done when the kernels are tender and release a milky liquid when pierced. Peel away the husk and silk and serve as you wish.

　　

Roasting Peppers and Chiles

Step 5

To roast fresh poblanos or other peppers or chiles, place them directly on the grill over a low flame on a gas range, or on a baking sheet under a broiler, and char until evenly blackened, turning as necessary. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with a hand towel for about 5 minutes to steam the peppers (this will make their skins easier to remove). Alternatively, you can steam the peppers in a sealed plastic bag. Use your paring knife and/or your fingers to remove the stem, seeds, and skin from the peppers and use the smoky flesh as directed in the recipe.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.