If you're working through our list of bean recipes, you may be noticing a little trend or theme that seems to run through this recipe collection. It may appear that there's a bias in favor of western, southwestern, cowboy, and/or Mexican dishes. Well, maybe there is a preponderance of such recipes. It's not without good reason.

For one thing, if you look at all the bean recipes in the world, or at least those in common circulation in the USA, you'll find that many of the recipes have these southwestern (to summarize all the above into a single word) leanings. That's because the American Southwest uses beans more frequently and in more ways than other parts of the country. The Mexican influence is strong there, as well.

Oh, yes; there may be one more reason. I'm the one choosing the recipes and I sorta like this kind of stuff. So sue me. (I'm working to provide a good variety of all kinds of bean recipes. Honest.)

So today's recipe, although southwestern, is for a salad, a category so far woefully neglected on Bean Bible. Never fear, salad lovers, more will be coming in the near future.

• 1/4 cup snipped cilantro
• 1/4 cup olive oil or salad oil
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 3 cups torn Romaine lettuce or mixed greens
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 large oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 2 slices red onion, halved and separated into rings

For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine cilantro, olive or salad oil, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, and salt. Cover and shake well. Chill until serving time. Shake well before using.

Cut chicken into thin, bite-sized strips. In a large skillet cook chili powder, cumin, salt, and red pepper in hot oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add chicken strips and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned and no longer pink.

In a salad bowl combine chicken, Romaine or mixed greens, black beans, orange sections, and sliced red onion. Cover and chill salad up to 2 hours.

To serve, pour the dressing over the salad. Toss lightly to coat.

Makes 4 servings.

Copyright © 2006 Richard Mann. All rights reserved. Please contact the author for permission to use this article (includes reprints in mailing lists, newsletters, and/or any other purpose/format) and give details of its proposed use. Any and all use of this article in any way without permission is prohibited under copyright law. Acceptable use: Please feel free to link to this page. Of course, you can always print these recipes for your own personal use (that's what they're here for).

366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains This excellent book, 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains, gives you 366 recipes for healthful, delicious bean, rice, and grain dishes from all over the world. Yes, they're primarily vegetarian recipes, but the book does include variations on the recipes that use salmon, shrimp, and chicken. Mouthwatering ethnic recipes are mixed with other "natural gourmet" items that are fascinating to read, fun to prepare, and a delight to eat. How do Smoky Black Bean Burritos sound? Or how about Pesto Pasta with Cranberry Beans? I'm ready to start cooking right now.