Description
This Quick Southwest Chicken Salad is a vibrant, flavorful, and easy-to-make dish perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner. Combining tender cooked chicken with fresh veggies, creamy avocado, and a zesty homemade dressing, it brings together the best of Southwest-inspired flavors in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast (shredded or diced, grilled or rotisserie)
- 1 cup canned corn (drained)
- 1 cup canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce or mixed greens
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- Fresh cilantro (optional, chopped)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined, creating a flavorful Southwest-style dressing.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the shredded or diced cooked chicken, drained corn, rinsed black beans, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, finely chopped red onion, chopped romaine lettuce or mixed greens, and shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese.
- Toss and Garnish: Drizzle the prepared dressing over the combined salad ingredients. Toss gently to evenly coat everything with the dressing. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, if desired, before serving for an added burst of freshness.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut or grill chicken breasts for added flavor.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
- Feel free to substitute the cheese with a dairy-free alternative to make it lactose-free.
- Serve immediately for the freshest taste, especially to prevent the avocado from browning.
- This salad is great as a meal on its own or served with warm tortilla chips or crusty bread.
