Description
This Southwest Chicken Salad is a quick, healthy, and flavor-packed lunch featuring smoky grilled chicken, crisp veggies, black beans, corn, and a creamy lime-cilantro dressing. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect for meal prep, busy weekdays, or a satisfying light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce (about 1 large head)
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned corn, drained (or fresh/frozen, thawed)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or more yogurt)
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Crumbled tortilla chips or strips (optional)
- Shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese (optional)
- Pickled jalapeños (optional)
- Extra lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of chicken breasts. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil if needed.
- Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper (if using). Adjust seasoning to taste.
- While chicken rests, chop romaine lettuce, halve cherry tomatoes, dice red bell pepper, thinly slice red onion, and dice avocado. Rinse and drain black beans and corn.
- In a large bowl, combine lettuce, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro (if using).
- Slice cooked chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces and add to salad.
- Add diced avocado and toss gently to mix.
- Drizzle about half the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add more as needed.
- Top with optional extras like tortilla chips, shredded cheese, or jalapeños. Serve immediately.
Notes
For meal prep, store dressing and avocado separately until serving. Use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut. Adjust spice level to taste. Salad is naturally gluten-free; check toppings if needed. For dairy-free, use dairy-free yogurt or vinaigrette. Chicken can be served warm or cold.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Southwest, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 2-3 cups salad with dressing)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 35
Keywords: southwest chicken salad, healthy lunch, meal prep, gluten-free, easy salad, grilled chicken salad, high protein salad, avocado salad, summer salad, quick lunch