With juicy seasoned chicken, roasted corn, fresh veggies, and crispy tortilla strips, this Southwest Chicken Salad is a fantastic choice for a balanced meal that is both nutritious and satisfying!
There's nothing like a great taco salad for lunch or dinner! This salad recipe is really simple to create - we just cook the chicken and roast the corn for a little more depth of flavor before assembling everything in a shallow bowl. You can even make this for meal prep to truly have a 5-minute lunch ready to go.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $2.11
- Total Cost (4 servings): $8.45
- Those Other Guys: $14.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Seasoned Chicken - Cook the chicken using whichever method you prefer: air fryer, baked, or grilled. You can also grab a rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Romaine Lettuce - Fresh hearty Romaine is great for holding up all of the other ingredients in the salad.
- Roasted Corn - We're going to roast the corn in the oven for some extra flavor. Fresh or canned will work in this recipe.
- Tortilla Strips - The salad aisle of your local store will have a bag of these by the croutons. You can also make your own if you prefer.
- Other Toppings - Black beans, sliced tomatoes, fresh avocado slices, and Monterey Jack shredded cheese are my go-to ingredients for a southwest chicken salad that rivals any restaurant or fast food joint.
Variations and Substitutions
Protein: You can sub out the chicken for cooked steak, shrimp, or salmon! I've also made this with baked chicken meatballs, seasoned with a little taco seasoning.
Homemade Tortillas: Skip the tortilla strips and serve this with homemade flour tortillas to get even more authentic.
How to Meal Prep and Store a Southwest Salad
Once you've cooked your chicken and roasted the corn, everything else just requires a little chopping before assembly.
I've found the best way for a fresh salad every time is to store the ingredients in separate containers in the refrigerator, and put the dish together right before eating. Cut your avocado the same day as well to avoid excessive browning.
Recipe FAQs
Instead of using chicken, add roasted chickpeas or crispy tofu. You could also add roasted sweet potatoes for a warm option!
When storing the ingredients separately in the fridge, they will keep for up to 5 days in airtight containers.
Other Light and Fresh Lunch Recipes You'll Love!
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Southwest Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Air Fryer (optional - to cook chicken)
- Sheet Pan
- Aluminum Foil
- Chef's Knife
- Can Opener
- Strainer
Ingredients
Southwest Chicken
- 24 ounces chicken breasts
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Roasted Corn
- 15 ounces sweet corn (fresh or canned)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salad Assembly
- 15 ounces black beans (cooked from dry, or canned)
- 12 ounces Roma tomatoes
- 2 count avocado
- chopped Romaine lettuce
- tortilla strips
- shredded monterey jack cheese
Instructions
Southwest Chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with taco seasoning and oil on both sides.24 ounces chicken breasts, 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Cook until juicy, then set aside to rest. I recommend air frying at 390°F for 10 - 12 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Roasted Corn
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- Drain the corn (if using canned) and toss with oil, salt, crushed red pepper, and ground cumin.15 ounces sweet corn, 1 teaspoon avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Toss the corn with oil, salt, crushed red pepper, and ground cumin. Add to the foil-lined pan, then roast for about 15 minutes until fragrant and slightly charred.
Other Salad Ingredients
- If using canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly using a strainer.15 ounces black beans
- Chop the tomatoes and slice your avocados. Then slice your cooked chicken.12 ounces Roma tomatoes, 2 count avocado
- In a bowl, assemble your salad with all ingredients. Top with tortilla strips and cheese.chopped Romaine lettuce, tortilla strips, shredded monterey jack cheese
- Drizzle your favorite dressing on top, or serve on the side. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!