Top Sirloin Steak marinated in a citrus, chipotle marinade, then grilled to perfection in just minutes.
Ok, settle in ~ this is going to be a long post. 🙂
Let’s get the epic fail out of the way first, shall we?
Pina Colada Cupcakes.
No Pina. No Colada. Just Disaster. In a cupcake. There, I said it. IK’s 2nd kitchen disaster of the year.
Looks cute – tastes horrible. The good news? The Stellar Jays loved them!
On to other news.
I sometimes wonder what summertime would be like without outdoor grilling. The thought’s so frightening, I just can’t let myself go there. Ya know?
Any time we can throw steaks, burgers, chicken, fish or veggies on the grill, I’m a happy girl. Which is why I’m loving bringing you this Chipotle Steak Salad recipe today. The Chipotle Steak is the star here and the super, simple salad somewhat of an afterthought. But, the steak is so flavorful and juicy, that you won’t even notice your simple salad has only 3 ingredients. That’s my kind of cooking on a hot summer day!
We’ve had record temperatures around here (90+) and it’s been glorious! But, I have to admit, after a few hours out in the hot sun, I’m scampering for the house to get my chill on in the air conditioning. 🙂
And, after last Saturday’s golf game – which completely wiped us out from the heat and high humidity, I didn’t want to take any chances spending hours in front of a hot grill.
= enter Chipotle Steak Salad. Done in 5-10 minutes. 🙂
Ok, off topic!
I wanted to share a few photos of our gorgeous weather. These are straight out of the camera.
This first shot is the view of our last two mornings. A full moon and a gorgeous deep blue sky. Click on the photo and look closely, you can the starburst of the moon’s rays. 🙂
And THIS is the scene of last night’s sky here in the Pacific Northwest. AMAZING!
I couldn’t stop staring at it.
Now on to this juicy, tender and flavorful Chipotle Steak Salad. Plan ahead and let this steak marinate for 6-8 hours before grilling and you’ll have the most tender and juicy steak with a slightly spicy, smoky taste paired with the citrus of orange and lime juice. It goes perfect with a simple salad.
I can’t think of many more things I love than a gorgeous pink sky, a perfectly done steak and a simple salad for summertime. Can you?
Enjoy!
Chipotle Steak Salad
Ingredients
Chipotle Steak & Marinade
- 1 pound boneless top sirloin steak
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salad
- spinach leaves
- cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- red onion
- dressing of choice
Instructions
- Pierce steak all over with a fork.
- Mix all ingredients for the marinade together. Place steak in a baking dish and pour marinade over steaks. Marinate the steak for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator until ready to grill, turning every 2-3 hours.
- Turn grill on high heat. When hot, grill steak for 1 minute, then turn and grill on high heat for 1 more minute. Turn heat down to medium and let steak grill until desired doneness.*
Notes
Chipotle Marinade recipe from 50 Grilled Steaks, Food Network Magazine.
mimi says
Chipotle is one of my favorite flavors. It’s so unique. Love your salad! Sorry about your cupcakes, but I bet your jays were happy!!!
Kristi says
Mine too Mimi! My Stellar Jays are very forgiving fans! Hahahaha! Have a beautiful day!
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
Tragic story of the cupcakes 🙁 I hate when that happens. OMG those photos of the sky! Gorgeous! Do you ever see the Northern Lights? I saw them one time when I was backpacking Mt. Rainier. Breathtaking.
And this grilled steak salad! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! I heart chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (I know, shocking right?!). I would put them in everything if given the chance. I never grill outside. The grill intimidates me. So do the guys that use the grills in our condo building. I have been known, before my husband, to get said men to grill my meat for me in exchange for a smile.
Kristi says
I *think* I’ve seen the Northern Lights when I was much younger – but not recently. I’ll need to watch for them! You have me on the lookout now! 🙂 And sistah – you know we are the same… that’s why I am a huge fan of chipotle chiles too! And girl – get over the grill – it’s so easy and super easy to clean! Have a great week Lindsey!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Everything is so pretty in this post! This gorgeous steak salad, totally! The sky photos, absolutely!
Kristi says
Thank you Pamela! I thought that sky was so beautiful! (The steak salad was good too! :-)) I’ve only seen that sky one other time, and I’m so glad I got it on camera!
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Those photos are gorgeous, Kristi! I gasped when I saw the one of the shadowed trees set against the pink/purple, glorious sky. Wow! And WOW to this salad, too! That marinade sounds so good, especially with the orange and the lime. Such a summer-y dinner! 🙂 And your cupcake disaster – oh no! I hate when things unexpectedly stick. I recently made a batch of cookies that stuck to the pan HORRIBLY…as in 40% of the each cookie stuck to the pan when I tried to remove them. I had to use some serious elbow grease to get the other 60% off, chipping away with the spatula. Needless to say my camera was staying put – those were going undocumented lol
Kristi says
Hahahaha! I am **NOT** laughing at your cookie disaster (seriously I am NOT, because I’ve sssooo been there), I’m completely relating to the non-Kodak moment!!! When that happens, I’m like: “What camera??? I ain’t got no camera! There ain’t no camera ’round here!” Isn’t that what you’re thinking in those horrible disaster moments? Thank you for the compliments on the photos – that’s straight out of the camera and how the sky looked that night. So gorgeous – it was breathtaking! So glad you like the steak salad too! Have a beautiful week Alyssa! {Hugs!}
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Your photos are beautiful. I also love your blue tabletop. It really makes the colors of this steak salad stand out.
I love the smokey flavor of chipotle and definitely need to try it with steak. It sounds like a great combination!
Kristi says
Thanks Cindy! I just painted that tabletop before the photo shoot! Haha! It was so hot here, it dried in seconds. I’ve not played with the blue color before, but it’s fun for summer!
Valya of valyastasteofhome.com says says
Looks delicious! I will definitely try it:)
Kristi says
Thanks Valya! I hope you love it! Have a great day!
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
Mmmmm steak. That’s all. You had me at steak. Now I know what I’m going to pick up at the store for dinner. Thanks for the inspiration!
Kristi says
I know, right? Show me a steak and I am sssooo there! 🙂
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
Kristi, your photography is SO stunning! Seriously, both in food AND in nature! I especially love that sunset photo. 🙂 And this salad looks amazing! I love a good steak salad with some spice and this is definitely calling out to me! 🙂
Kristi says
Thank you Sarah! What a nice compliment!
Johlene says
what a beautiful salad.. the cipotle steak looks soft and juicy and tender and… and and.. did I mention that I´m a huge meat lover!! xoxo
Kristi says
Me too Johlene – I love meat! 🙂
Ruby @ The Ruby Red Apron says
Yum, that steak looks so nice and juicy. You’re making me want to pull out the grill but I have no steak to grill LOL. Anyway, gorgeous shot of the moon and the sunset. I could stare at the moon for hours.
Kristi says
Oh me too Ruby! It was so beautiful! I wish you would’ve been here to see it. We could’ve stared at it for hours together! 🙂
marcie says
This steak salad looks and sounds so great with those spices and flavors, and I’d love to eat it outside with that gorgeous view! Those photos are unbelievably pretty, Kristi! Sorry about those cupcakes, but once again you had me laughing! 🙂
Kristi says
Thank you Marcie! I’d love to say that’s my last cupcake disaster, but one doesn’t want to get to hopeful! 🙂 Have a beautiful week!
Ashley says
Oh I hate kitchen fails! Especially baking ones!!! But I’d say this steak salad more than makes up for it! It sounds amazing.
And that pink sky picture??? Holy cow gorgeous.
Kristi says
Thanks Ashley! That sky was so phenomenal ~ and the great thing about it is, that photo was straight out of the camera (no edits) ~ so you can imagine how much more beautiful it was in person. I wish you could’ve seen it. And the baking fail??? I’d do a thousand fails if I could see that sky again! 🙂
Consuelo - Honey & Figs says
Gorgeous shots! I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the weather! It’s way too hot here for me to enjoy anything hahaha :’) I could totally do with one of these delicious salad plates. They look so delish! xx
Kristi says
Thank you Consuelo! I wish it were that hot here (sometimes). When it’s hot here, we are just happy to be drying out after all the rain! You finally feel like you get dry after months of being wet, wet, wet! It’s like squeezing and wringing that dishcloth after it’s been sitting in water! Hahaha!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
Most of the cupcakes liners sucks, anyhow! Your kitchen disaster is not that bit after all! I’ve done worse 🙂
Kristi says
Hahahaha! Unfortunately Daniela ~ so have I! 🙂 And, I agree – most cupcake liners are horrible! Maybe we should design our own. 🙂
Renee@Two in the Kitchen says
Oh my goodness!!1 Thoses photos of the night sky are incredible!!!! I want to be there to see it in real life!!! I would just sit out on my porch with a glass of wine and revel in that beautiful array of colors!! Now onto that steak salad: YUMMO!!!!! That is my kind of salad girl!!! Oh and your kitchen disaster cupcakes: Freaking hilarious!! I love reading about your snafus in the kitchen!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Kristi says
Hahahaha! You make me laugh, my Renee! What friend laughs at someone else’s disasters? You do, my sistah (and I love you for it)! Because let’s face it – it’s funny. I wish you were here…we would be making cool tea towels together, then grabbing that glass of wine and sitting on my patio looking at that gorgeous night sky ~ like forever. So tell me ~ when are you coming over??? 🙂
Kelly says
Sorry to hear about your cupcakes – hate it when that happens too 🙁 But you totally rocked this steak salad girl! It looks amazing and love how perfect and juicy the steak looks! That pink sky pic looks stunning too!
Kristi says
Thanks Kelly – I’m so glad you like it. That pink sky was amazing! I wish you could’ve seen it!