Southwest Chicken Salad

A bold and satisfying salad featuring chili-lime marinated chicken, creamy avocado dressing, and a colorful mix of veggies. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or prepping ahead! And it's naturally gluten-free.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword black beans, chicken, chicken salads, corn, gluten-free, greek yogurt, healthy salads, southwest salad, summer salads, tomatoes

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 3

Servings

Calories 575kcal

Author Erin Dooner

Ingredients

For the chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts ~1/2” thick, 8 oz or 225 grams each
3 tablespoons olive oil plus 1-2 tablespoons for cooking
2 tablespoons lime juice about one medium lime juiced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic

For the dressing:

1 large avocado
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro loosely packed
2 tablespoons lime juice about one medium lime juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the salad:

6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup corn rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Whisk together until well combined. Add the chicken, ensuring that each piece of chicken is submerged in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Just before the chicken is ready to cook, make the dressing. Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a food processor or blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes, until a smooth consistency is reached. If the dressing seems to be too thick, you can add 1 tablespoon at a time of water and continue to blend until desired consistency is reached.
1 large avocado, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
When the chicken is ready to cook, remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and drain any excess liquid. Place the chicken on a plate and allow it to come to room temperature. This should take 20-30 minutes and will help ensure even cooking times and a better sear on the chicken.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken to the pan. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan and cook in batches, if needed.
Cook the chicken for 5 minutes, undisturbed. Flip, and cook an additional 5-7 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board and rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
While the chicken is resting, assemble the salad. Add the salad ingredients to a large serving dish or divide the ingredients between 4 plates or bowls.
6 cups romaine lettuce, 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 cup black beans, 1 cup corn, 1/4 cup red onion
Slice the chicken and place on top of the lettuce. Top the salad with a drizzle of the dressing.
Add any other toppings, like shredded cheese, tortilla strips, chopped cilantro, or sliced jalapenos, if desired.
Store any leftovers separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

If your chicken is thicker than 1/2" (1 1/4 cm), place it between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound it with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it's an even thickness. This helps it cook more evenly and quickly.
Use canned corn or fresh cooked corn. I used the Green Giant Brand of Steam Crisp Niblets. It’s canned corn that has been vacuum packed and tends to have a crisper, sweeter bite closer to fresh corn.
For an extra kick, add a small jalapeno in with the dressing ingredients when blending.

Nutrition