I’m not a big fan of cumin (it kind of smells like stinky feet to me) but despite my aversion to any and all things feet related, I love this recipe. I’ve made it several times, using a variety of proteins (ham, brisket, pork loin), and it’s always great. It would be good for a party because the colors are beautiful and it keeps well.

Healthy - At less than 500 calories a serving and 9 grams of fiber, it’s really filling, and it has a ton of flavor! It calls for cheese but I’ve also substituted avocado to change it to a good fat; I’ve also left it out altogether and it didn’t make a big difference. Here are the stats from the last time I made it using mayo.

Cheap - The protein in this dish is versatile so use whatever’s on sale or whatever’s in your freezer or fridge. And the vegetables it calls for are inexpensive, especially if corn is in season like it is now.

Easy - No need to cook, it’s mostly chop and mix. Just use leftover protein from last night’s dinner. The most labor intensive part of this is keeping an eye on the corn while chopping up everything else. Listen to the corn, once it pops, it’s time to turn it.

I got the recipe from Robin Miller on foodnetwork.com and I’ve made some tweaks. The original is here.

The roasted corn really makes this recipe, don’t skip this step, the work to flavor ratio is worth it. The Granny Smith apple might sound weird but it’s really good and adds a nice crunch, trust me. And try to chop everything uniformly and on the small side so you you get a little of everything in each bite.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 ears fresh or frozen cob corn, thawed
• about a pound of cooked protein such as chicken, pork loin, etc. – whatever you have on hand
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans (or whatever you have on hand, I’ve also used kidney beans), drained
• 1 cup shredded cheese, OR one diced avocado, OR 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, OR leave it out if you’re really watching calories
• 1/2 cup Spanish olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

Directions

Heat a dry pan over medium high heat. Add the ground cumin and toast until you see little whisps of smoke or until it’s very fragrant, stirring occasionally. Put the olive oil in a dish and incorporate the toasted cumin. Wipe down the pan and add cooking spray. Place corn on the pan and cook until golden brown or charred on all sides, turning frequently  (if you hear a popping sound, it’s ready to turn). While the corn is cooking chop everything else but keep an eye on it. Remove the corn from heat and cool. When cool enough to handle, slice kernels from cob.

Transfer kernels to a large bowl and add chicken, beans, cheese, olives, tomatoes, apple, jalapenos, and cilantro. Toss to combine.

Take the olive oil and cumin mixture and whisk in vinegar. Add dressing to chicken mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving  (if you can wait that long). The flavors are even better the next day.

Enjoy!