Cherry Chipotle Salad Recipe

Cherry Chipotle Salad has an explosion of flavors. You get the sweetness of the cherries and finish with a nice chipotle kick. It’s a perfect make-ahead salad.

Recently, we were lucky enough to get together with some friends that we haven’t seen in several years. They were coming to town and would be staying with relatives. They wanted to have a Mexican theme potluck, our favorite and would be making tacos. I thought that I would try my Cherry Chipotle Salad out on them.

I  didn’t want something that would need to be refrigerated or wilt in the heat. We loved the chipotle flavors in my  Crockpot Chipotle Chicken Taco recipe and have received a lot of compliments on it. So I decided that I could put the same flavors in a salad.

I actually made this salad the day before we needed it. The longer it sits, the more the heat develops. We kept it in a cooler and loved it and believe everyone else did too.

Don’t have time to make this salad right now? Pin it for later!

Cherry Chipotle Salad

Author: Hostess At Heart

Cherry Chipotle Salad is an explosion of flavor. It starts with the sweetness of the cherries and finishes with a chipotle kick. It's a great make-ahead dish.

4.60 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword: Cherry Chipotle Salad, Chipotle salad

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  

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Salad ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur wheat I used coarse #3
• 14.5 oz black beans canned, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups corn I used frozen roasted corn
• 1/2 cup celery thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup scallions white and green parts sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup dried whole cherries 4.2 oz pkg
• 1/4 cup chipotle paste*
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Chipotle paste Ingredients

• 2 Chipotle Chilies in Adobo 3 for extra spice
• 3 tbsp olive oil vegetable or canola is fine too
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp diced onion
• Fresh cilantro I use the stems for the and the leaves for salad
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• Zest of 1 lime optional

Instructions

 

• Bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of bulgur to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain if necessary. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Combine chipotle paste ingredients and process in a blender or food processor until thick.
• Mix cooked bulgur, oil, lime juice, and chipotle paste together. Stir until combined.
• Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

You can use rice or another whole grain instead of bulgur wheat.

It's easier to mix this salad together in two stages as instructed.

Add additional chipotle paste if you like it spicier.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 575mgPotassium: 427mgFiber: 10gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1195IUVitamin C: 6.3mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2.6mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

There are a lot of dishes that I’ve eaten where I feel the chipotle just takes over. This salad is the complete balance of flavors and texture. The little can of chipotle actually holds more than you need for this one recipe. Instead of letting them go to waste I make a double batch and freeze half of it. I love having it on hand. It’s like my little pot of culinary gold that I can pop out at a moments notice. It’s great mixed in dips or slathered over chicken too.

Here are a couple other chipotle dishes that we love!

Chipotle Grilled Chicken Salad

Crockpot Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Mexican Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

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