Topopo Salad

In the town where I grew up there was a little Mexican restaurant that served this amazing salad called a Topopo. It is a layered delight of yummy goodness!  It is a long way back to my hometown for a salad, so I have created my own version.

Topopo Salad

Topopo Salad

Ingredients:
-tortilla chips
-refried beans
-guacamole
-romaine lettuce
-frozen green peas
-chicken (cooked and shredded)
-parmessan cheese
-topopo dressing (see below)

This is one of those recipes that I throw together.  It really depends on how many people you are having how much of each ingredient you need.  I keep a bottle of the topopo dressing in my fridge for whenever the craving strikes.

1. Warm your tortilla chips in the oven and sprinkle with a little bit of seasoning salt.  (we use flour tortilla chips because of allergies). Layer on plate or platter.

2.  Add warm refried beans

3. Top with your favorite guacamole (we like avocados mashed with a little lime juice).

4. Cover with a generous layer of finely chopped romaine lettuce mixed with the frozen green peas, thawed. (we just run the frozen green peas under some hot water in a strainer for a minute and use them)

5. Add a layer of cooked, shredded chicken (We often add some topopo dressing to the meat as it heats up).

6. Sprinkle salad generously with the topopo dressing and then top liberally with parmessan cheese.  Your salad should sort of look like an exploding volcano

Topopo Dressing
1/2 C. canola oil
1/4 C. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery seed
juice of 1/2 lime

Mix together and shake well.  Store in refrigerator.

I have made huge platters of this for parties and there is never any leftovers!  If you keep chopped cooked chicken in the freezer you can throw this meal together in about 15 minutes (throw the chicken and beans on the stove to heat while you warm the chips and chop the lettuce--layer it on a platter and serve).