Southwest Chicken Salad

This Southwest chicken salad is jam-packed with yummy, colourful ingredients, like chicken, corn, black beans, cheddar cheese, avocado and corn chips. And no salad is complete without a delicious homemade salad dressing. This one is served with a creamy chipotle dressing and is it ever good! You’ll want to make this chicken chopped salad time and time again.

I love a good salad. You too? Being salad season, you’re definitely going to want to give this Southwest chicken salad a try.

I remember years ago having a dinner-sized salad (somewhat similar to this one) at a restaurant. Delicious, but nothing like homemade if you ask me!

Like most green salads, this Southwest chicken salad can be made super quickly and is just so satisfying.

It’s loaded with colourful ingredients, plenty of texture and tons of flavour. The salad itself, of course, just hits the spot. But the creamy chipotle salad dressing that it’s served with? So freaking yummy! Made with chipotle peppers, it gives the dressing such a lovely smoky flavour with some spice, which pairs beautifully with the salad ingredients.

Fan of green salads? Check out this mixed green salad with fruit. It’s one of my favourites, especially during the summer months.

Chipotle Salad Dressing Ingredients

• Plain Greek yogurt: Adds creaminess to the salad dressing. I prefer to use at least 2% milk fat plain Greek yogurt for this recipe, not fat-free.
• Mayonnaise: Adds richness to the salad dressing. I prefer to use a regular mayonnaise, not fat free.
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: They are the star of this creamy dressing. They add a yummy smoky, slightly spicy, flavour which can’t be beat. You can typically find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce right alongside chopped green chilies, tortillas and the like in the grocery store. No need to rinse the adobo sauce off them. Just pluck them from the can and use in your dressing.
• Lime juice: Brightens the dressing and helps thin it out. I used 1 tablespoon of lime juice, but you can use a tad more if you like.
• Sugar: Balances out some of the savoury flavours, but don’t make the dressing sweet.
• Salt and black pepper: Essential in any homemade dressing!

Southwest Chicken Salad Ingredients

• Lettuce: This green salad uses plenty of chopped lettuce. I typically like to use red and green leaf lettuce or Romaine lettuce (or a combination of them).
• Cooked chicken: Use cooked chicken leftover from another meal, cook some fresh just for this recipe, or use some from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, whatever you prefer. I like to use white meat for this recipe.
• Cheddar cheese: To add another element of flavour, I used a jalapeno cheddar. You can use a regular variety if you prefer.
• Veggies: Bell pepper, grape tomatoes, corn, cilantro and green onion all add tons of colour, texture and flavour to this salad.
• Canned black beans: Give them a good rinse and drain before using.
• Avocado: I prefer to dice the avocado instead of slicing it so it’s a tad more hearty when tossing the salad.
• Corn chips: Adds an awesome crunch to the salad. Use tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips if that’s what you prefer or have on hand.

How To Make the Salad Dressing

To make this creamy chipotle salad dressing, you simply combine the salad dressing ingredients in a mini food processor and process until combined. Then it’s ready to use!

If you need to thin the dressing, just add more lime juice (a little at a time because you don’t want to overthin it) until you’ve reached the consistency you like best.

Tip: Though I prefer to use a mini food processor to whip up the dressing, if you don’t have one, no worries! You can first finely chop the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, then whisk them with the rest of the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl until combined.

Assembling the Salad

Place the Southwest chicken salad ingredients (aside from the corn chips … I like to add them after so they stay crunchy) in a large mixing bowl, then drizzle with a little chipotle salad dressing. Mix to combine, ensuring all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Serve the salad, then top with corn chips and more salad dressing. Devour!

Can I Make Ahead of Time?

For sure! You can make the salad and dressing a day ahead of time.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl (with the exception of the avocado and corn chips), cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Tip: Don’t dress your salad until you’re ready to eat it so the lettuce maintains optimal crispness and freshness.

When you are ready to enjoy, add the avocado, drizzle over some salad dressing and mix to combine. Upon serving, top with corn chips and more salad dressing.

Tips

• Ensure your cooked chicken has cooled before using so you don’t wilt your lettuce.
• If you want to make your Southwest chicken salad more substantial, feel free to add more cooked chicken.
• Mix up the protein! Have some cooked turkey on hand? Try that instead of chicken for something a little different.
• The quantities of each ingredient, especially the toppings, are more of a suggestion. Like more corn, add it! Not fussy on avocado, omit. Feel me?
• Add more spice by adding some sliced fresh jalapeno pepper.
• Enjoy this salad as a side with your favourite protein (grilled chicken is a great option). Alternatively, enjoy it as an entrée on its own or with a side, like soup, gazpacho or bread. It makes about 4 to 6 side servings (with the former being quite generous), or 2 to 3 entrée-sized servings.

More Yummy Salad Recipes

• Apple and Gouda Mixed Green Salad
• Winter Green Salad With Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
• Blueberry Spinach Salad

If you make this Southwest chicken salad, be sure to leave a comment below!

This chopped salad recipe was originally posted April 12, 2018 but has been updated.