Opening the recipe box…
Greatest plates · Salad
Layered Mexican Salad with Chicken and Taco Lentils
A party salad built in a glass bowl so you can see every stripe: rice, spiced lentils, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, capsicum, corn, avocado, olives. Make it for a crowd, put the avocado lime dressing beside it, and let people dig down through the layers.
Serves 8Prep 30 minCook 20 minSaladChicken
Containsnuts
KalaPlate adaptationAdapted from Life-Changing Salads by Danielle Brown, HealthyGirl Kitchen
Protein 26%Carbs 38%Fat 36%
About 581 kcal a serve — 39 g protein, 57 g carbs, 24 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 8
Method
Cook the chicken and taco lentils
FillingBrown the chicken in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lentils, passata, chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika, a teaspoon of the garlic powder, a teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, and cook five minutes more until it is thick and glossy rather than wet.
In the frying panFilling →
15 min
Make the pico de gallo
PicoMake the pico de gallo: combine the onion, tomato, coriander, lime juice, the remaining quarter-teaspoon of garlic powder and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Let it sit — it gets juicier and better in ten minutes.
In the bowlPico →
10 min
Blend the avocado lime dressing
DressingBlend the avocado, cashews, lime juice, avocado oil, vinegar, coriander, garlic, jalapeno and salt with 60 ml of water on high until creamy. It should be almost drinkable.
In the blenderDressing →
10 min
Build the layers
LayerIn a large glass bowl or a deep dish, spread the rice evenly across the bottom. Then, in order and each spread flat: the chicken and lentils, the shredded cos, the pico de gallo, the capsicum, the corn, the avocado, and the olives last. Press each layer down lightly so the stripes stay sharp against the glass.
In the bowlLayer →
10 min
Cook's noteServe the dressing on the side in a jug so the layers stay visible until someone ruins them, which is the point. Assemble no more than two hours ahead or the lettuce weeps into the rice.
Estimated per serve
581 kcal · 39 g protein · 57 g carbs · 24 g fatestimates, within ~10%
Every recipe in KalaPlate reads like this.
A whole library of them — plus a weekly plan built around your household's rules, a shopping list that writes itself, and a plate guide for anyone tracking. Allergies are enforced, never filtered.
More recipes like this
Browse every recipeThe Fiesta Chop: Taco Salad with Beef and Lentils
Mexican · Salad
Elote Pasta Salad with Charred Corn and Prawns
Mexican · Salad
Garlicky Mushrooms and Greens with Prawns and Pine Nuts
Mediterranean · Salad
Superfood Brain-Booster Salad with Salmon and Raspberry Vinaigrette
American · Salad