Santa Fe Salad

What is a “Santa Fe salad” and how is it different from a “Southwest salad”?  Is it simply called a “Southwest Salad” if you walk into McDonald’s and a “Santa Fe Salad” if you walk into Arby’s?
 
The Santa Fe salad is served in the Texas-based Tin Star restaurants, Applebee’s, Tony Roma’s, and the Cheesecake Factory. Most of the recipes include chicken; some salads include tortilla strips and some are served in a tortilla shell.
 
The earliest recipes (1980s-1990s) for “Santa Fe salad” appear to originate from the USA Rice Council and included cooked brown rice and canned black beans. Many current recipes for Santa Fe salad include beans, but most do not include rice.
 
   
Tin Star restaurants
Santa Fe Salad
grilled chicken, crispy bacon, mixed greens, black beans, tortilla strips, pico de gallo, Santa Fe ranch
   
Tony Roma’s restaurants
Santa Fe Salad
Mixed greens, tomato then topped with sliced, breaded chicken strips. Served in a delicious tortilla shell.
10.99
   
Applebee’s restaurants
Santa Fe Chicken Salad
Grilled marinated chicken on greens plus cheese, pico de gallo and tortilla strips. With guacamole, sour cream and Mexi-Ranch dressing. Prices for half / full size. 
$6.49 / $8.49
 
The Recipe Link
Santa Fe Salad
Recipe By : USA Rice Council
Servings : 2
 
1 cup cooked brown rice—cooled
1 cup canned black beans—or pinto beans, rinsed, drained
8 3/4 ounces canned corn—drained
2 tablespoons onion—minced
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro—snipped
1 jalapeno pepper—minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
 
Combine rice, beans, corn and onion in medium bowl. Whisk remaining ingredients in small bowl; pour over rice mixture. Chill 2 to 3 hours so flavors will blend. Stir before serving.
       
18 June 1965, Hobbs (NM) Daily News-Sin, pg. 3, col. 4:
The menu included Baltimore & Ohio Baked Beans, Chattanooga Fried Chicken, Santa Fe Salad and Pennsylvania Pastries.
 
30 July 1987, Los Angeles (CA) Times, pg. 29:
Among the salads, which come to the table in huge, beautiful mounds enough to feed two, I particularly liked the Santa Fe salad made with sauteed chicken, ... 
     
5 November 1989, Boston (MA) Globe:
... tostada salad with chicken, melted cheeses and salsa ($6.25), and Santa Fe salad ($6.25), which comes as a large flour tortilla filled with vegetables, 
 
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (James “Kibo” Parry)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1993 07:17:01 GMT
Local: Thurs, Jul 1 1993 2:17 am
Subject: Free Crap! Free Crap from Blockbuster!
 
2 oz.  Wishbone Santa Fe salad dressing
     
4 March 1993, Chicago (IL) Daily Herald, section 6, pg. 8, cols. 5-6:
SANTA FE SALAD
1 cup cooked brown rice, cooled
1 cup canned red kidney beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 1/4-ounce) can whole kern corn, drained
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
 
Combine rice. beans, corn and onion in medium bowl. Whisk remaining ingredients in small bowl; pour over rice mixture. Chill 2-3 hours so flavors will blend. Stir before serving. Serves two.
 
Colorado/Nebraska Dry Bean Commission
Rice Foods Council of America
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Brad Scott)
Date: 12 Jan 1994 23:52:27 GMT
Local: Wed, Jan 12 1994 6:52 pm
Subject: Foodservice Update (VRG)
 
USA Rice Council, P.O. Box 740121, Houston, TX 77274. Write for their illustrated pamphlet of exciting vegetarian recipes. These are not quantity recipes, but your chef can easily alter them. The 4-color photos can also inspire your staff with some creative plating ideas. Includes Santa Fe Salad, Rice Nut Loaf, Vegetarian Sloppy Joes, Spicy Thai Pizza, and 6 more recipes. Send a SASE.
     
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Joel Ehrlich)
Date: 1995/11/11
Subject: Creative Green Salads?
 
Rancho Santa Fe Salad   No. 791              
Yields 4 Servings
 
1 Head Iceberg Lettuce
7 oz Marinated Artichoke Hearts
1 Avocado, Sliced
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar, Shredded
2 oz Pimento Strips
12 Corn Tortillas
1/4 Cup Wine Vinegar
1/4 tsp Oregano Leaves, Dried
1/4 tsp Basil Leaves, Dried
1/4 tsp Dry Mustard
1/4 tsp Pepper, Ground
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp     Chili Powder
Oil for Frying        
1 Clove Garlic, Pressed
Dressing:
3/4 Cup Olive OIl
 
Thoroughly chill the lettuce.
Tear the lettuce into pieces and place in a LARGE bowl.
Toss with the marinated artichoke hearts, avocado slices, shredded cheese and
drained pimento strips.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender container.
Blend thoroughly and let sit to allow the flavors to merge.
Place the tortillas in a stack.
Cut into wedges, making 6 stacks.
Heat 1/2” of oil in a deep (2 qt.) pan.
When the oil is hot enough to make a tortilla sizzle (350 degrees to 375 degree
stack of tortilla wedges.
Stir to separate.
Cook until crisp (about 1 minute).
Lift with a slotted spoon.
Drain.
Repeat with the remaining stacks.
Sprinkle the fried tortilla chips lightly with salt.
Drizzle the dressing liberally over the salad.
Toss well.
Serve with the tortilla chips alongside.
 
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Lauretta Nagel)
Date: 1996/08/22
Subject: The Cheesecake Factory
 
I ordered a salad, thinking I could keep some room for dessert (well, it WAS the Cheesecake Factory 😊). I ordered the lunch portion-sized Santa Fe salad.
 
Lime-marinated roasted chicken, black beans, corn, cilantro, thin slices of crisp tortillas, greens, and the most amazing dressing. I can’t remember what was in it, but the flavor of the whole salad was a perfect blend of southwestern USA and asian. Incredible.
 
2 November 1998, Nation’s Restaurant News, review of Desert Moon Cafe (Valley Cottage, NY), pg. 8:
...and Santa Fe salad mixed with greens served and with mandarin orange slices, sweetened sun-dried cranberries, pepitas and a choice of dressings at $3.95. 
     
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: 2000/02/19
Subject: WHAT FOODS ARE BEST TO EAT AT TONY ROMA’S?
 
Santa Fe Salad - A crunchy tortilla shell filled with mixed garden greens, Cheddar cheese, bacon and fresh tomatoes, topped with our juicy, crispy-coated chicken breast. 
 
Google Books
Prevention’s
The Healthy Cook
by Hoffman Matthrew and David Joachim
Rodale
2000
Pg. 84:
Santa Fe salad. Garnish greens of your choice with black beans, corn kernels, avocado slices, jicama slices and salsa. Dress with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette and serve with a flour tortilla. Add a bit of grilled chicken and call it a fajita salad.
     
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From: Ellen Smith

Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2001 18:01:26 -0800
Local: Sun, Jan 7 2001 9:01 pm
Subject: Re: wedding picnic ideas wanted
 
Santa Fe Salad made with freshly roasted and marinated corn and red peppers, mixed with seasonal greens tossed with creamy garlic dressing and topped with fried corn tortillia heart cutouts.
 
Google Books
Insiders’ Guide to Cincinnati
by Felix Winternitz and Sacha DeVroomen
Globe Pequot
2006
Pg. 50:
Trio
7565 Kenwood Road, Kenwood
www.triobistro.com
(...)
One of the restaurant’s most popular items is the Santa Fe salad, mixed greens with cilantro and lemon-marinated chicken, grilled in mesquite and accompanied by black bean salsa, tortilla strips, and a zingy jalapeno citrus dressing.
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (June P)
Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 07:58:32 -0400
Local: Tues, May 8 2007 6:58 am
Subject: SANTA FE SALAD with CHILI-LIME DRESSING
 
SANTA FE SALAD with CHILI-LIME DRESSING
Team this tangy Southwest-inspired salad with a bowl of our refreshing, creamy Tomato-Dill Soup. 6 Tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
3 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, finely chopped
3 Tbsp water
1 medium scallion, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
15 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 cup cooked corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 cup grape tomatoes
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips (about 1-1/2 cups)
8 cup romaine lettuce, cut into thick shreds (about 2 hearts)
 
To make dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, cilantro, water, scallion, lime juice, sugar and chili powder in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer to a jar or a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until ready to use. In a large bowl or food storage container, layer remaining ingredients in order listed. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, spoon salad ingredients into a bowl. Shake dressing and then drizzle dressing over salad; toss well to coat. Yields about 2 cups of salad and 1-1/2 tablespoons of dressing per serving.
Makes 8 Servings: 2 Points per Serving Notes
Storing this salad in layers (instead of tossing it immediately) and keeping the dressing separate, helps to keep the salad fresh. It can be stored up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
 
5 September 2007, Newsday (NY), pg. B15:
Downtown Bar & Grill
197 Mineola Blvd.
Mineola
(...)
A favorite starter was the Santa Fe salad, a toss of organic baby greens, preserved apricots and sliced almonds, glossed with a mint-orange vinaigrette.
   
25 October 2007, Tulsa (OK) World, “Arby’s Market Fresh Salads,” pg. D1:
Oct. 25—It’s no surprise that most fast food salads aren’t exactly health food. We tested three Market Fresh salads from Arby’s to see which ones were worth the calories.
 
1. Santa Fe Salad—Yes, our winning salad has more calories than an Arby’s roast beef sandwich. But who eats just a sandwich? If you total a roast beef plus fries and a Coke, that’s way more calories than the Santa Fe salad.
 
Crumbled tortilla chips spread over leafy greens, plus fried chicken tender slices, corn and black beans make this a prime choice when doused in Santa Fe ranch. We’re definitely thinking Arby’s.

477 calories and 21 grams fat