Southwestern Chicken Salad Incredible Ultimate (Printable)
Vibrant salad with juicy grilled chicken, crisp vegetables, black beans, corn, and zesty creamy dressing for a wholesome Southwest twist.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Salad Vegetables
10 - 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
13 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained)
14 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
15 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
16 - 1 avocado, sliced
17 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
→ Creamy Southwest Dressing
18 - 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
19 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
20 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
21 - 1 teaspoon honey
22 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
23 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
24 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
25 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Garnishes (Optional)
26 - 1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
27 - Handful of tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
28 - Lime wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to form a spice paste. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast.
03 - Place the seasoned chicken on the hot grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels, red onion, red bell pepper, avocado slices, and chopped cilantro. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, honey, hot sauce if using, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
06 - Arrange the sliced grilled chicken over the assembled salad. Drizzle generously with the creamy Southwest dressing and top with shredded cheese, tortilla strips, and lime wedges as desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy lime dressing comes together in about sixty seconds and tastes like something from a restaurant.
- It is genuinely easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough that people will think you spent all afternoon.
- Everything is gluten free without trying, which makes it a safe bet for nearly any crowd.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step for the chicken because cutting immediately lets all those juices escape onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
- Toss the avocado in a tiny squeeze of lime juice before adding it to prevent browning if the salad sits for more than ten minutes.
03 -
- Press the spice rub into the chicken with your palms and let it sit fifteen minutes before grilling so the flavors actually penetrate the meat instead of just coating the surface.
- Use a microplane to zest the lime before juicing it for the dressing because that tiny bit of oils in the zest doubles the citrus impact.