Southwest Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing
Nov 01, 2024 12:39 AM
This southwest chicken salad is the perfect blend of smoky, citrusy, and spicy flavors. It’s made with grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, and plenty of fresh summer vegetables, including grilled sweet corn. The salad is topped with a delicious jalapeño, cilantro, lime dressing, and optional chili lime pepitas for some crunch!
With so many amazing flavors and textures, this southwest chicken salad recipe is as satisfying as it is delicious. And even though there are quite a few ingredients, it’s super easy to make.
The star of the show is the spicy lime and cilantro dressing! We use this as a marinade for the chicken, to baste the corn while it grills, and to dress the assembled salad.
When it comes to the salad itself, Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers add freshness, while avocado and manchego cheese add a creamy texture. The toasted chili lime pepitas are optional. However, if you love a crunchy topping, I definitely recommend including them!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 6 cups of chopped romaine lettuce (1 large head or 2 smaller ones)
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved (about 12 ounces)
- 1 large yellow, orange or red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large ear of corn (should yield about ¾ cup of kernels after grilling)
- ¼ cup green onion chopped OR ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup shredded Manchego cheese (can also use Mexican style or cheddar cheese)
- Chili lime pepitas (recipe below) or tortilla strips for topping
- Optional: 3-4 thinly sliced radishes
Marinade and Dressing
- ½ cup avocado or olive oil
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons lime zest
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely minced jalapeño (about ½ of a small/medium jalapeño)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons agave or honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon schili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
Chili Lime Pepitas
- ½ teaspoon olive or avocado oil
- ½ cup raw unsalted pepitas
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Total Time:
140 minutes
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