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Southwest Chicken Salad drizzled with Southwest Ranch Dressing and crispy tortilla strips in a large white salad bowl.

Southwest Chicken Salad


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  • Author: Emily from One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings (about 9 cups) 1x

Description

This Chicken Taco Salad is fresh, fast & flavorful. It’s one of my favorite warm weather dinners! (Gluten free, paleo friendly)


Ingredients

Scale

For the Chopped Salad:

  • 6 cups romaine lettuce
  • 8 oz diced chicken
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onion
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • Tortilla strips*, tortilla chips, or pepitas

For the Southwest Ranch Dressing:

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I like avocado oil mayo)
  • Juice from 1 lime (12 Tbsp)
  • 12 Tbsp water
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill (or 1 Tbsp fresh)
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional–it adds some kick!)

Instructions

Assemble the salad:

  1. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, green onion, and cilantro.
  2. Drizzle with salad dressing and serve with tortilla strips, chips, or pepitas.

Make the Dressing:

  1. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, 1 Tbsp water, chili powder, dill, pepper, salt, and chipotle chili powder.
  2. Whisk until it’s totally smooth. Dressing will keep in the fridge about 1 week.

Notes

*To make homemade tortilla strips, brush or spray 4 corn tortillas with olive oil. Slice into 1/2″ strips and arrange on a baking sheet so they’re not touching. (More air circulation will give crispier strips). Broil 3-5 minutes per side, or until they’re golden and browning.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish, Salads
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex