Quick Homemade Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle-Lime Dressing
I am so glad you are here! This Southwest Chicken Salad is a bold, satisfying main dish that comes together fast, making it perfect for quick dinner ideas or healthy meal prep lunches.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Assembly
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken breast
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or thawed frozen)
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup tortilla strips (for topping)
- For the Chipotle-Lime Dressing:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water (or more, to thin)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, chipotle powder, cumin, and salt. Add water slowly until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: If you have leftover cooked chicken, shred it. If cooking fresh, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili powder, then grill or pan-fry until cooked through. Let cool slightly and shred or dice.
- Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and diced tomato.
- Divide the salad: Portion the salad mixture evenly among four bowls or meal prep containers.
- Add toppings: Top each serving with shredded cheese and diced avocado.
- Dress and serve: Drizzle the homemade chipotle-lime dressing over the salads just before serving. Add crunchy tortilla strips on top for texture.
Notes
- For meal prep salads, store the dressing separately and add it right before eating to keep the lettuce crisp.
- You can substitute grilled steak or ground turkey for the chicken to make this a protein packed salad variation.
- If you need a gluten free salad, check your tortilla strip packaging or omit them entirely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 75