Southwest Chicken Salad
Updated Jun 05, 2026
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This flavorful Southwest Chicken Salad recipe is made with fresh vegetables, juicy chicken strips, and taco seasoning. It’s a healthy dinner salad, filled with flavors and toppings that your family will love!
My Southwest chicken salad is loaded with crispy chicken strips, fresh veggies, and all the bold flavors I love in a good Southwestern-style meal. It’s one of my favorite dinner salads because it’s hearty enough to be a full meal while still feeling fresh and light. Ideal for those hectic nights when you have just 15 minutes to prepare dinner, this easy-to-make salad is a lifesaver for hangry moments. The crunchy texture, creamy avocado, and fresh ingredients make for a salad lover’s paradise! Also, it’s a perfect recipe to use up your grilled corn and grilled chicken leftovers.
Recipe Ingredients
This Southwestern-inspired salad uses the following simple ingredients and flavorful seasonings to tie it all together.
- Olive Oil – Or any other cooking oil to cook the chicken.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Slice the chicken into 1 x 3-inch strips.
- Taco Seasoning – Try my easy, zesty homemade taco seasoning for the freshest flavor!
- Romaine lettuce and baby spinach – I almost always use lettuce and spinach for the salad greens, but iceberg lettuce or an arugula salad mix is okay to use.
- Corn Kernels – You can use rinsed and drained canned corn, and if you have fresh corn off the cob, even better!
- Black Beans – Rinse and drain the canned beans before using.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Any tomatoes will work, but I think the pop and sweetness of cherry or grape tomatoes is best.
- Red Onions – For salads, I always reach for red onions. They have a milder flavor than yellow or white onions, a little natural sweetness, and a nice crisp bite that works really well in fresh salads.
- Serve – Garnish your salad with fresh cilantro and serve it with a side of lime wedges.
How to Make Southwest Chicken Salad
- Prep for cooking. Heat olive oil in a frying pan set over medium-high heat.
- Season and cook the chicken. Grab the salt, pepper, and taco seasoning, and season the chicken strips. Transfer them to the hot pan and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove your skillet from the burner and set it aside.
- Assemble the salad. Arrange the chopped lettuce and baby spinach in a salad bowl. Top with corn, add black beans, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and the cooked chicken strips.
- Dress the salad. Add the avocado lime dressing and toss gently to coat.
- Serve. Garnish your salad with cilantro and serve it with fresh lime wedges.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Serve with Avocado Lime Dressing: My light and creamy avocado-lime dressing is perfect for this salad. It’s super easy to make in just 10 minutes!
- Chop Chicken into Bite-Sized Pieces: If you don’t want to cut the chicken strips as you eat your salad, slice them into cubes after cooking them.
- Make a Salad Bar: You can turn this salad into a make-your-own meal by separating the ingredients and serving the dressing on the side. This way, everyone can enjoy a healthy salad by mixing-and-matching!
- Serve with Lime Wedges: To add a zesty element to your salad, serve it with fresh lime.
- To Make Ahead: Simply store your salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold within a couple days. Add the salad dressing only when ready to serve.
What to Serve with Salad
If a salad is just not enough, fit in a cup of jasmine rice, hard boiled eggs, or a handful of cooked pasta. A slice of focaccia or lavash would also satisfy! Don’t forget the Strawberry Pom Mojito or a glass of White Sangria.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep salad leftovers crisp by storing them separately from the dressing to avoid sogginess. Also, store the chicken separately and reheat it in the oven when serving. Add the dressing only when you’re ready to serve the salad.
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Southwest Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch by 3-inch long strips
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 6 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 15 ounces canned corn kernels, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup finely diced red onions
- chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- lime wedges, for serving
- Avocado Lime Dressing
Instructions
- Prep for cooking. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan set over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Transfer the strips to the hot oil and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- Assemble the salad. Arrange the chopped lettuce and baby spinach in a salad bowl. Top the salad greens with corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and cooked chicken strips.
- Toss with dressing and serve. Add the avocado lime dressing and toss gently to coat. Garnish the salad with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Equipment
Notes
- Nutritional Information does not include the dressing.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Looks so tasty!
Thank you, Rhea! 🙂
Loved the combination of textures and flavors; the avocado lime dressing completes this meal! Easily, a new favorite in our home!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made it for dinner tonight. My wife was going to have sushi until she saw this! Loved the presentation and the combination of flavors! After dinner she said “This one’s a Keeper!”
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Adding this to our salad rotation! It’s so good! We loved how quick it came together!
Packed full of amazing flavors! This is really good!
This is amazing! My family enjoyed it for lunch and dinner!
Delicious, fresh summer salad!
This flavorful Southwest Chicken Salad looks incredibly delicious!
Thank you so much, Erin! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This looks so bright and refreshing, I cannot wait to give it a try!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Yummy! This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make this! I think I know what I’m making for dinner!
Thank YOU! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Seriously, this was so incredibly good! Leftovers for lunch!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂