Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Cacique and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, the recipe and opinions are 100% my own.

This Thursday, June 12th, be prepared to join the rest of the world in the soccer event known to be followed by millions on Earth.  It doesn’t matter if you call it “football” or “soccer” as long as you don’t miss the “GOALS!”  I will be tuning in with my fellow sport fans to cheer on my relative country of Mexico.  I enjoy watching the match on TV with the volume muted and the sound replaced with a musical soundtrack instead.  Depending on which countries are competing that day usually determines what we will listen to.  That allows me to just watch and focus as the men run back and forth kicking the ball with those legs of pure muscle.  I adore the sportsmanship of the game and the thrilling entertainment it brings into my household.  With complete concentration on every move the athletes make and where the ball will land comes the desire to distract the mind a little with a snack that will help ease the anxiety.  Something edible to celebrate with or cry with, it has to be good.   The first thing that comes to mind is the soothing taste of Cacique crema, then a hard shell crunch, a little pickled chile, some crumbled queso fresco, and it has to represent the colors of Mexico.   Food for the fans, something we could all dig into.  I decided the best thing to fit this description would have to be Mexican “Stadium” Chicken Salad served with crisp corn tortilla strips.  I will serve it as a dip in the middle of the room and me, my family and our lovely friends can all scoop into the luscious good-ness while enjoying the game.

Ingredients for Mexican Stadium Chicken Salad:

• 10 to 12 – corn tortillas (depending how big your bowl is) (sides trimmed off)
• 1/2 – cup vegetable oil
• 1.5 – pounds chicken breasts (boiled for 20 minutes, then shredded with 2 forks)
• 1/3 – cup Cacique crema Mexicana Agria
• 1/4 – cup mayo
• 1/2 – lime (squeezed)
• 1/2 – teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 – teaspoon salt
• 8 – cherry tomatoes (cut into 4’s)
• 6 – strips of bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 1/3 – cup red onion (diced)
• 1/3 – cup peas
• 1/4 – cup pickled jalapenos (diced)
• 1/4 – cup fresh cilantro leaves (stems removed)
• 1/2 – avocado (diced)
• 1/2 – cup Cacique queso fresco

Directions:

1. Cut tortillas into strips. In a large frying pan over a medium flame add in the vegetable oil. Allow the oil to get hot, then fry the tortilla strips on each side until crisp. 
2. Remove tortilla strips from oil and allow to drain on a paper towel. Set strips to the side.
3. Place cooked shredded chicken in a bowl add in Cacique crema Mexicana Agria, mayo, and lime juice. Mix to combine. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Mix again.
4. Build the stadium: In a big bowl fill the center with creamy chicken salad, then line the inside edges of the bowl with tortilla strips. 
5. Combine cherry tomatoes, bacon, and red onion together, then on one side of the chicken salad make a solid line of red ingredients.
6. Combine peas, jalapenos, cilantro, and avocado together, then on the opposite side from the red ingredients make a solid line of green ingredients. Leaving an equal amount of space open in the middle.
7. Fill the center area with queso fresco. 
8. Eat this now!

It’s National Guacamole Day, and my house is stocked with bowls of tortilla strips and guacamole.  The man in my house usually watches football on Sundays and with that habit comes snacking.  I say stocked because each room in the house has a T.V. blaring the latest touchdown, and right next to the remote control is a bowl of guacamole and chips.  Easy to grab and even more delicious to savor.  Of course I made my own guacamole and tortilla strips… click here for the recipe, after all it is National Guacamole Day and we should all be celebrating.  While I was smashing my Avocados from Mexico, making a big creamy batch of guacamole, I remembered all the folks I had interviewed while I was in NYC for BlogHer12.  Each one of them talked about guacamole as if it were a patron saint.  I saw fireworks in their eyes at the mere mention of guacamole.  People of all walks of life LOVE the green stuff known as guacamole.  People just love green stuff in general I guess, but guacamole is up there.

Here, take a look for yourself,  I had the pleasure of working on this sweet video with my fellow Abuelita Avocado Ambassadors.

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post on behalf of Avocados from Mexico and Latina Bloggers Connect.  The recipe and opinions are my own!  Yes, and without a doubt #ILoveAvocados #AmoLosAguacates