This healthy southwest chicken salad is the meal prep lunch I put on repeat all summer long. It’s packed with protein, fiber, and bold flavor, so I can hit my health goals without getting bored!
This Twist on Chicken Salad Makes Healthy Lunches Easy
Hitting your health goals doesn’t have to taste bland and boring, and this Southwest chicken salad recipe is the proof. It’s a nourishing, delicious meal that doesn’t skimp on flavor.Â
Happy cooking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
One thing you’ll LOVE about this Southwest chicken salad recipe is how it makes the most out of simple ingredients by highlighting all their best flavors. Let’s take a look:
Don’t Have Taco Seasoning? You can try our homemade taco seasoning, made with pantry staples like chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. It’s easy & can mimic all the smoky flavors of a store-bought mix!
How To Make Southwest Chicken Salad, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Combine Salad Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and diced avocado.
- Combine Salad Dressing Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lime juice, taco seasoning, garlic, and honey. Taste and add additional lime juice, taco seasoning, or honey to taste, or add a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, if needed.Â
- Toss Salad. Pour dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine, until the salad is well blended and everything is evenly coated in dressing.
- Serve & Store. Garnish with lime wedges (if desired) and enjoy with tortilla chips for dipping, or serve in lettuce cups, on a bed of greens, or rolled into wraps. Leftover chicken salad will keep 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Southwest Chicken Salad
More Mix-Ins To Try. Feel free to play with the mix-ins to suit your tastes. We’ve made this delicious salad with green chiles instead of bell peppers, and tried it with a small can of sliced black olives. Try adding extra veggies like jicama or grated carrot, swap green onions for the red onion, or use pinto beans instead of black beans. Add some minced jalapeño pepper for some kick! Experiment with grilled corn or fire-roasted corn instead of regular corn, substitute sour cream for the Greek yogurt, or swap the cheese for Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese instead!
Dairy-Free Option. Can’t do dairy? Swap in mayonnaise for the yogurt and skip the cheddar cheese. It’ll work fine!
Make-Ahead Tips. This southwest chicken salad is VERY meal prep-friendly, especially if you follow a few tips. For best results, I recommend seeding the tomatoes or using grape tomatoes, which have fewer seeds and won’t make your salad soggy. Next, store the salad in a sealed container with a tight lid to prevent extra air from turning the avocado brown. If needed, you can omit the avocado to avoid browning, but I find it keeps well 2-3 days without browning for me!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Southwest Chicken Salad recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Southwest Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 12 ounces Cooked, Shredded Chicken
- 1 can Black Beans – drained & rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups Corn
- 1/2 cup Diced Tomatoes*
- 1/2 cup Diced Bell Pepper (I like red, yellow, or orange peppers)
- 1/4 cup Finely Diced Red Onion
- 1/2 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1/3 cup Chopped Cilantro
- 1 Avocado, diced (optional)
- Tortilla Chips, for serving (optional)
For The Salad Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (I like Fage 2% Greek Yogurt)
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
- 1-1 1/2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning (Gluten-Free, as needed!)
- 1 clove Garlic, minced (OR 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder)
- 1 teaspoon Honey
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and diced avocado.
- Combine Salad Dressing Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lime juice, taco seasoning, garlic, and honey. Taste and add additional lime juice, taco seasoning, or honey to taste, or add a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Toss Salad. Pour dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine, until the salad is well blended and everything is evenly coated in dressing.
- Serve & Store. Garnish with lime wedges (if desired) and enjoy with tortilla chips for dipping, or serve in lettuce cups, on a bed of greens, or rolled into wraps. Leftover chicken salad will keep 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- More Mix-Ins To Try. Feel free to play with the mix-ins to suit your tastes. We’ve made this delicious salad with green chiles instead of bell peppers, and tried it with a small can of sliced black olives. Try adding extra veggies like jicama or grated carrot, swap green onions for the red onion, or use pinto beans instead of black beans. Add some minced jalapeño pepper for some kick! Experiment with grilled corn or fire-roasted corn instead of regular corn, substitute sour cream for the Greek yogurt, or swap the cheese for Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese instead!
- Make-Ahead Tips. This southwest chicken salad is VERY meal prep-friendly, especially if you follow a few tips. For best results, I recommend seeding the tomatoes or using grape tomatoes, which have fewer seeds and won’t make your salad soggy. Next, store the salad in a sealed container with a tight lid to prevent extra air from turning the avocado brown. If needed, you can omit the avocado to avoid browning, but I find it keeps well 2-3 days without browning for me!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/southwest-chicken-salad/
I could eat this all day! I love that it is so high in protein but doesn’t feel boring at all