Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (2024)

5 from 49 votes

112 comments

November 30, 2018

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This Southwest Chicken Salad is a crunchy, fresh, salty, sweet, and creamy salad perfect for dinner, parties, or by itself!

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (1)

Southwest Salad Recipe

The other day I thought I’d experiment with some leftover black beans and roasted chicken I had in my fridge. Best decision ever. The results are a tasty Southwest Salad with a little something for everyone! Plus, there was no cooking involved! BONUS.

Main Ingredients Needed

You should expect 20 minutes of work time, I’d say. Besides that, you should be good to go. This is a really straight forward Southwest Salad recipe and superly awesomely amazing tasting. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Corn, Avocado, Tomatoes, Green Peppers, and Romaine Lettuce –all of this fresh produce makes up the filling of this salad and helps make it southwestern.
  • Chicken and Black Beans –IF you’re vegetarian or just don’t have chicken on hand, don’t worry about it and just add in the black beans.
  • Scallions and Cilantro – these make the salad so much more flavorful!
  • Tortillas Chips – pick your favorite brand and add them in. They give the most wonderful crunch to this chopped salad.
  • Southwest Salad Dressing – This is made from ranch mix, taco seasoning, sour cream, and mayo. It’s beyond delicious, I promise.

If you’re looking for other salads, don’t look far, here are a couple of favorites: macaroni salad,cucumber salad,classic coleslaw, chicken salad with grapes or broccoli salad.

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (2)

How to Make Southwest Chicken Salad

  1. Prepare or chop the chicken, green pepper, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, lettuce, and cilantro.
  2. In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips and avocado.
  3. Make Southwest Salad Dressing (outlined below).
  4. When ready to serve, toss the salad with dressing then gently stir in avocado and tortilla chips.

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (3)

Southwest Salad Dressing

  1. For the dressing, take equal parts of mayo and sour cream and stir together with some taco seasonings, ranch dip mix, and pepper and salt to taste.
  2. Stir it up and voila! Creamy Southwest Salad Dressing.

Note: Pour just enough dressing over the salad to moisten everything and toss.

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (4)

Make-Ahead

To make this recipe ahead of time, simply chop and combine everything except the avocados, tortilla chips, and dressing. Refrigerate the dressing and salad separately, then when ready to serve, top with the dressing andstir in some crushed tortilla chips with that ripe avocados.

If you let the salad, tortilla chips, and dressing mingle too long together in the fridge things tend to get soggy, that’s why it’s best to wait until you’re ready to devour this salad.

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (5)

Leftovers

Any leftover Southwest Chicken Salad can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. After that things tend to get soggy and gross.

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (6)

More Salads To Try!

  • BLT Chopped Salad with Basil Green Goddess Dressing
  • Super Greens Southwest Kale Salad
  • California Club Blue Cheese Chop Salad
  • Epic Chicken Salad

Once you stir it all together you can see how yummy and colorful this Southwest Salad looks! Mmmm…

I hope you like this one, guys! Have a great day!

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (7)

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5 from 49 votes

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken

This Southwest Salad Recipe is a crunchy, fresh, salty, sweet, and creamy salad perfect for dinner, parties or by itself!

servings 4 servings

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rotisserie chicken diced
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 cup sweet yellow corn canned or frozen and defrosted
  • 2 roma tomatoes diced
  • 4 scallions washed and sliced, white and green parts
  • 1 large romaine heart washed and chopped
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro washed and chopped
  • 2 just under ripe avocados diced
  • 2 cups tortilla chips crushed

for the dressing-

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tablespoon ranch seasoning
  • 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1/2 tablespoon lime juice optional
  • salt & pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir all salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips and avocado.

  • In a small bowl, stir all dressing ingredients together until smooth.

  • When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing then gently stir in avocado and tortilla chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 912kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 819mg | Potassium: 1279mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3465IU | Vitamin C: 44.6mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 4mg

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: southwest chicken salad, southwest salad, southwest salad recipe

Southwest Salad Recipe with Chicken (2024)

FAQs

What is a southwest salad made of? ›

Today's southwestern salad is so super simple and classic – just spicy golden roasted sweet potatoes tossed with sweet corn (fresh or grilled? – you choose), black beans, chopped romaine lettuce, and a cool n' creamy avocado dressing that is packed with cilantro, lime, and other good things.

How many calories in a Southwest salad with grilled chicken? ›

McDonald's Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad (1 each) contains 30.1g total carbs, 23.2g net carbs, 12.6g fat, 34.6g protein, and 367 calories.

What comes on Chick Fil A Southwest salad? ›

Slices of grilled spicy chicken breast served on a fresh bed of mixed greens, topped with grape tomatoes, a blend of Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and a zesty combination of roasted corn, black beans, poblano chiles, and red bell peppers.

What is Southwest dressing made of? ›

Stir yogurt, sour cream, ketchup, onion, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt together in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 10 minutes.

What is the healthiest salad at Chick-fil-A? ›

The Market Salad has fruits, veggies, and protein.

With a combination of greens, fresh fruit, nuts, and grilled chicken, the Market Salad is one of the most nutritionally balanced options at Chick-fil-A, according to Amer.

What is in a Chick-fil-A cobb salad? ›

Chick-fil-A® Nuggets, freshly breaded and pressure-cooked, sliced and served on a fresh bed of mixed greens, topped with roasted corn kernels, a blend of shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, crumbled bacon, sliced hard-boiled egg and grape tomatoes. Prepared fresh daily.

What type of lettuce does McAlister's use? ›

Parmesan, croutons and Caesar dressing on romaine lettuce. Cut calories in half by making part of a Choose Two combination!

What's in the Southwest salad at Wendy's? ›

Made fresh daily with Wendy's signature lettuce blend, pepper jack cheese, diced tomatoes, cool, creamy avocado, Applewood smoked bacon, and grilled chicken breast hot off the grill, all topped with Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Southwest Ranch Dressing. It's zesty and Southwesty!

What is in Red Robin Southwest chicken salad? ›

Ancho-grilled chicken breast, black beans, avocado, fried jalapeño coins, tomato, corn, shredded cheddar, fresh lime and tortilla strips. Served on a bed of mixed greens with a side of salsa-ranch dressing.

Does McDonald's have the Southwest salad? ›

"Unfortunately, McDonald's has phased out its Southwest Salad.

What are the ingredients for chicken salad? ›

What can I add to chicken to make it taste good? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

What does Wendy's Southwest Salad have in it? ›

What's On It. Made fresh daily with Wendy's signature lettuce blend, pepper jack cheese, diced tomatoes, cool, creamy avocado, Applewood smoked bacon, and grilled chicken breast hot off the grill, all topped with Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Southwest Ranch Dressing. It's zesty and Southwesty!

How many calories in a Southwest Salad without chicken? ›

Chick-fil-a Spicy Southwest Salad Without Chicken (1 serving) contains 37g total carbs, 29g net carbs, 17g fat, 14g protein, and 350 calories.

Does McDonald's have the Southwest Salad anymore? ›

In 2007, when The Packer reported on McDonald's introduction of its Southwest Salad, the chain said that it had sold 520 million salads “to date.” As we know, the chain dropped salads during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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