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Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad Recipe

Whether it’s weeknight dinner or brought to a potluck BBQ, this southwestern chopped chicken salad is always a hit. We call it a party of flavor and texture because it’s loaded with crisp corn, fresh avocado, juicy tomatoes, crunchy tortilla chips, and a zesty taco seasoning-spiced Greek yogurt dressing.

Tell Me About This Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

  • Texture: The variety of texture in every single bite makes this salad interesting and satisfying. You’ll enjoy the crunchy romaine lettuce and tortilla chips paired with juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and—of course—the silky and thick Greek yogurt dressing.
  • Flavor: This salad was inspired by my days working at Chili’s restaurant. There was a dish called the Quesadilla Explosion Salad which was loaded with a lot of the favorites you see here. The flavors of the individual ingredients are obvious, but the dressing is certainly something to spotlight. The homemade jalapeño Greek yogurt dressing includes fresh lime, garlic, a little honey for sweetness, and extra taco seasoning. We pair something similar with our corn fritters.
  • Time: Most of the time will be spent chopping up your ingredients and cooking the chicken. We usually grill the chicken, but you can use any cooked chicken or even store-bought rotisserie chicken. If you’re not cooking the chicken right at that moment, set aside about 15-20 minutes to throw the salad together.

Choosing the Right Ingredients

This Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad is for people who get bored with salad. Have fun switching up the add-ins and ingredients and enjoy something different in every bite. Here are additional notes on some of the salad’s ingredients.

This is a fantastic make-ahead recipe. Prepare this salad a day in advance and add the tortilla chips just before serving so they don’t go soggy. An excellent choice when planning out your Memorial Day recipes!

And to complete the meal, we usually serve this Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad with cornbread or cornbread muffins.

Prep Time 15 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Cuisine:
Courses:
Servings: 6
Description

This flavor and texture-packed Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad comes together in minutes and you can get started on it the day before.

Ingredients You’ll Need
  • 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 6 cups cubed cooked chicken*
  • 1 and 1 1/2 cups corn
  • 1 and 1 1/2 cups black beans
  • 1 and 1 1/2 cups (225g)
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
  • handful chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (we use nonfat)
  • 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 jalapeño, 1/2 finely diced
  • 2 heaping teaspoons taco seasoning (we use mild)
  • salt, to taste and if needed
Instructions
  1. 1
    Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. (If you’re not serving it right away, add the tortilla chips on last right before serving. They’ll stay crunchy that way.)
  2. 2
    Whisk the dressing ingredients together, except for the salt. Taste, then add salt to your preference.
  3. 3
    Spoon dressing over salad, then toss to combine. Serve cold.
Keywords: apple cider vinegar, avocados, black beans, cheddar cheese, chicken, cilantro, corn, garlic, honey, jalapeño pepper, lime juice, olive oil, onions, romaine lettuce, taco seasoning, tomatoes, yogurt
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