Steak Salad with Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless chuck eye steak (cut into small cubes after cooking)
• seasoned salt (to taste for seasoning the meat)
• black pepper (to taste for the meat and dressing)
• garlic powder (to taste for seasoning the meat)
• smoked paprika (to taste for seasoning the meat)
• 1 tbsp butter (for searing the meat)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for searing the meat)
• 2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 cucumber (sliced into half moons)
• 0.5 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2 bundle fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 bulb garlic (finely minced)
• 1 red jalapeño (finely chopped; can be substituted for 1 tbsp red pepper flakes)
• 0.25 cup rice vinegar (for a sweeter flavor; or red wine vinegar for more acidity)
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (for the dressing)
• salt (to taste for the dressing)

Steps

1. 1

   Begin by seasoning the chuck eye steak with seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. 3

   Place the steaks in the skillet and sear on both sides for 5 to 6 minutes for a medium-well finish.

4. 4

   Once the steaks are cooked, remove them from the skillet and let them rest for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Cut the rested meat into small, bite-sized cubes.

6. 6

   In a large bowl, add the finely chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic, and red jalapeños.

7. 7

   Add salt and pepper to taste, the vinegar (rice or red wine), and 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil.

8. 8

   Mix all the chimichurri ingredients until well combined. For better flavor, let the dressing rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

9. 9

   In the same bowl with the chimichurri, add the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and chickpeas.

10. 10

    Stir well until all the vegetables are completely coated with the dressing.

11. 11

    Incorporate the cut steak pieces and mix again.

12. 12

    Serve immediately. Optionally, you can accompany it with avocado, feta cheese, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Notes

For a sweeter flavor in the dressing, use rice vinegar; for more acidity, prefer red wine vinegar. If you don't have fresh red jalapeño, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes. Letting the chimichurri rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes helps the flavors meld better.

Nutrition per serving

• salad
• main course
• steak
• chimichurri
• high protein
• easy
• quick dinner