This Southwest chicken salad delivers bold flavor in a satisfying, meal-sized salad that’s quick to prepare. Seasoned chicken, avocado, black beans, corn, and bright vegetables are finished with a creamy Greek yogurt Southwest dressing for a nutritious and craveable dish.
If your usual salads feel repetitive, this Southwest chicken salad is an excellent way to mix things up. It combines spiced, baked chicken with crunchy romaine, sweet corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, black beans, and creamy avocado. Crumbled tortilla chips add a pleasant crunch, while a tangy, herb-forward Greek yogurt dressing ties everything together.
This recipe is especially friendly for meal prep: the chicken and dressing can be made ahead, and the vegetables can be prepped in advance so you can assemble meals in minutes during a busy week.
Ingredients for Southwest Chicken Salad
Use these fresh, simple ingredients to make this Southwest chicken salad. Exact amounts appear in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts provide lean protein. Use fresh chicken, leftover cooked chicken, or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Seasoning (chili powder, cumin, garlic): A blend of chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder seasons the chicken before baking. One tablespoon of store-bought taco seasoning can be substituted if desired.
- Romaine lettuce: Chopped romaine gives the salad a refreshing crunch. You can swap iceberg, mixed greens, or baby spinach if you prefer.
- Corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, avocado: Classic Southwestern vegetables that add color, texture, and nutrients. Swap or omit any items to suit your taste.
- Black beans: A great source of fiber and plant protein that makes the salad more filling.
- Tortilla chips: Crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips add crunch. Use gluten-free chips if needed.
- Southwest dressing: This creamy dressing is made with plain Greek yogurt, salsa, lime juice, cilantro, honey, cumin, and salt—blended until smooth.
Variations
- Vegetarian / Vegan: Omit the chicken and increase the black beans for a vegetarian option. For vegan, replace the Greek yogurt in the dressing with a plain, dairy-free yogurt and use a vegan sweetener.
- Different protein: The same spice blend works well on other proteins, such as salmon, shrimp, or tofu.
- Gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free if you use certified gluten-free tortilla chips.
- Turn it into a chicken salad: Toss the cooked chicken with corn, tomatoes, peppers, onion, avocado, and dressing to make a sandwich or wrap filling. Serve over romaine or in a burrito for a portable meal.
- Alternate dressings: A smoky chipotle dressing or a store-bought ranch are tasty alternatives if you want to change the flavor profile.
How to Make Southwestern Chicken Salad
This healthy Southwest chicken salad comes together in just a few straightforward steps.
Make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the juice and zest of a lime to the chicken, sprinkle on the spice blend, and bake for 15–18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Let the chicken rest and cool, then dice or shred.
Make the dressing: Combine plain Greek yogurt, salsa, lime juice, fresh cilantro, honey, cumin, and a pinch of salt in a small blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Assemble: Divide chopped romaine among bowls. Top each portion with diced chicken, thawed corn, black beans, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red pepper, chopped red onion, avocado, and crumbled tortilla chips. Drizzle with the creamy Southwest dressing and serve immediately.
Tools You’ll Need
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Baking sheet
- Small blender or food processor
- Measuring cups and spoons
Meal Prep and Storage
Meal prep: Prepare the spiced chicken and the dressing 3–4 days ahead and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Wash and chop the vegetables up to 3–4 days in advance as well. Keep chips separate until serving to preserve crunch.
Storage: Store the salad components separately for best results. Assembled salads last about 1–2 days if dressed; without dressing, components will keep about 3–4 days in the fridge.
Southwest Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Baking sheet
- Small blender
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- ½ lime (juice and zest)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Dash of salt and black pepper
For the Creamy Dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup black beans
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup crumbled tortilla chips
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1–2 avocados, diced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the chicken breasts.
- Mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add lime juice and zest to the chicken, sprinkle on the spice blend, and bake 15–18 minutes until cooked through. Let cool, then dice or shred.
- For the dressing, blend Greek yogurt, salsa, lime juice, cilantro, honey, cumin, and salt until smooth.
- Divide romaine among four bowls. Top with chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, avocado, and tortilla chips. Drizzle with dressing and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 salad | Calories: 350 kcal | Carbohydrates: 39 g | Protein: 35 g | Fat: 7 g | Fiber: 9 g | Sugar: 9 g