This southwest chicken salad is like a little party for your taste buds! It has loads of veggies, cubes of chicken, some blue corn tortilla chips (for crunch) and a delicious smoky chipotle lime dressing. It’s a big salad, hearty enough for a satisfying and delicious dinner.
Hi friends!
Popping in with this quick salad recipe for ya right before the weekend! I love big salads (and this mixed green salad with fruit is one of my faves, especially in the summer months).
I remember years ago having a dinner-sized salad (somewhat similar to this one) at a restaurant, only it had breaded chicken, bacon and cheese. Super tasty, but not the healthiest salad in the world.
I wanted to lighten things up a bit with this southwest chicken salad. It has all the flavour with less of the nasty stuff. Sounds good to me!
Why We Love Southwest Chicken Salad
- Uses leftover chicken (great for reducing food waste)
- Made in about 10 minutes
- Loaded with simple ingredients, like chicken, veggies and beans
- Of course, it tastes delicious!
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Chipotle Lime Dressing
You’re going to want to put this chipotle lime dressing on everything!
What makes it so good? Chipotle Peppers!
Chipotle peppers are actually jalapenos that have been smoked and dried. Typically, you can find them in the supermarket where you would find tortillas and salsa. You can purchase them dried in a bag or in a can with adobo sauce (how I like to get them).
What’s adobo sauce? Like the chipotle peppers themselves, the adobo sauce has a smoky heat. It’s typically made with ancho chilies, spices like salt, pepper and oregano. It has a rich reddish or brownish hue and adds so much flavour to recipes. We regularly stock our pantry with cans of chipotle peppers and use them in sauces like this homemade dressing, in soup and in chili.
I would recommend tasting one (like, a small nibble) before adding to a dish. Not all chili peppers are created equal. And, even amongst the same variety of chili peppers, the heat level can vary.
I remember one time hubby and I bought fresh jalapeno peppers and there was literally no heat to them. Like, hubby bit into it as he would an apple. Nothing (though, hubby can eat some spicy stuff, let me tell ya).
Chipotle peppers are something I regularly use in sauces, especially for salads and tacos. I hardly ever buy store-bought dressings. Once you make your own, there’s no going back. Plus, you can make enough for what you need at any given time without a bunch of extra bottles floating around your fridge.
To make this dressing, you simply combine everything together in a mini food processor and process until smooth. Then, it’s ready to use!
Recipe Tips
This salad is super easy to put together, especially since it uses leftover rotisserie chicken. Don’t have any? You can cook a couple of small chicken breasts if you like. Let them rest and cool slightly before adding to your salad. You don’t want those greens to wilt.
I used red and green leaf lettuce, but you can easily swap out for arugula, spinach or your favourite lettuce.
The quantities of each ingredient, especially the toppings are a suggestion. Like more corn, add it! Not fussy on avocado, omit. Feel me?
Fresh or frozen (thawed) corn works here. Frozen won’t have that same ‘pop’ of freshness, but will do in a pinch.
Use store-bought tortilla chips or make your own, like these homemade tortilla chips (from Simply Recipes).
More Easy Salad Recipes
Hope you love this dinner-sized southwest chicken salad as much as we do!
If you make this southwest chicken salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!
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Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Southwest Chicken Salad
- 8 cups chopped lettuce (I used red and green leaf lettuce)
- 1 cup cooked chicken , cubed or shredded
- ⅓ cup bell pepper , diced
- ⅓ cup canned black beans (unsalted or no salt added variety) , rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup grape tomatoes , halved
- ¼ cup corn kernels
- ½ avocado , pitted, peeled and sliced
- 6 tortilla chips (to taste. I used blue corn)
Chipotle Lime Dressing
- 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (depending on how spicy you like things)
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon mayo
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
Garnish (optional)
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Distribute lettuce between two bowls. Top with cooked chicken, bell pepper, black beans, grape tomatoes, corn kernels, avocado and tortilla chips, distributing equally between bowls.
- Drizzle chipotle lime dressing over top. Garnish with cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Chipotle Lime Dressing
- Place all ingredients into a mini food processor and process until smooth. If you don't have a food processor, finely chop chipotle peppers and whisk in a bowl with remaining ingredients until smooth.
Nutrition (ESTIMATE ONLY)
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
Claudia Lamascolo
oh my I love southwest anything this looks marvelous!
Girl Heart Food
Me too! Thanks Claudia 🙂
[email protected]
This sounds amazing and I WILL be making it! I recall a similar salad that I loved from a restaurant, as well. I’m glad you’ve made it healthier. Pinned!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Terri 🙂 Appreciate that! Have a wonderful week!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen
Mmmm chicken, beans, avocado, and vegetables – that’s my kind of salad. Light but satisfying. Like this dressing too. I’ve never used chipotle peppers in a dressing/salad, but I’ve got to try now.
Girl Heart Food
Mine too 😉 They really add a yummy flavour! Hope you enjoy! Thanks Ben 🙂
Lily {Gastro Senses}
Chicken and smoky chipotle lime dressing in salad. It’s like we’re salad soul sisters!
Girl Heart Food
Haha – thanks so much, Lily 🙂 Happy weekend!
Thao @ In Good Flavor
Medium is my heat comfort level. It’s true about the peppers—I have bitten into jalapeños that had no heat. This beautiful salad is right up my alley, Dawn! I can eat it again and again during the week!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Thao! Me too 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
Tracy | Baking Mischief
This is exactly my sort of salad, Dawn! Fast, easy, and yeeeeeeeees, chipotle peppers!!! I can’t wait to try this dressing. It sounds so good!
Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo!! Thanks Tracy! Happy weekend 🙂
maria
This looks like the perfect salad to welcome spring… and to use leftover chicken. That makes it a double win in my books. Have pinned to try because this will definitely make my belly happy 🙂 Thanks for sharing Dawn ♥
Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks a bunch, Maria! Hope you love this one too 🙂 Happy weekend! xo
Christina
Real talk – Southwest chicken salads are my all-time favorite salads! Nothing beats succulent chicken meat coupled with creamy avocado and a zesty dressing. Pinning!!
Girl Heart Food
Mine too!! I’m getting hungry just reading your comment, lol. Thanks so much Christina 🙂
Kevin O'Leary
Chipotle peppers are one of my favorite ingredients of all time. Putting this on my menu for next week!
Girl Heart Food
Mine too, Kevin! Yay – hope you love it 🙂
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices
Such bright and happy flavors (and colors) in this salad! I am imagining two different bowls, one for me, one for Loreto, with the same ingredients but the chicken for me (maybe tofu?) and that beautiful dressing to seal the deal. Tomorrow I am going back, so this ‘picture’ can happen real soon 🙂 . Great recipe!
Girl Heart Food
Sounds like a yummy plan! Tofu would be lovely- grilled maybe 😉 ? Thanks Nicoletta!
Dan
I am so in love with the flavors here, Dawn! I’m obsessed with ginormous salads full of texture, so this is right up my alley and I really want to try this flavor combo with salmon sometime! I think it would work swimmingly 😉
Also, that dressing sounds off the hook.
OH MY GOD I’M NOT EVEN MEANING TO MAKE THESE FISHY PESCETARIAN PUNS.
I’ll see myself out.
Girl Heart Food
You’re seriously too funny!! Thank you so much for the kind words and chuckle this morning 😉
Sarah
This salad sounds awesome! I love using leftovers for salad- it makes them taste so much better. And wow that dressing sounds incredible!!!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Sarah!! Happy weekend to ya 🙂
Shashi at SavorySpin
Dawn, this is such a colorful salad! I love your pairing of that chipotle lime dressing with all those crunchy veggies! You’ve inspired me to make my dressing more often! I’ve gotta admit, I tend to buy a dressing from the store every now and then and then it hangs out in my fridge forever after a couple of uses! But with a homemade one I won’t be wasting AND homemade ones (like this clearly demonstrates) are so much more tastier!
Happy FriYAY to you! Hoping you and your hubs have a wonderful weekend filled with all sorts of deliciousness! XOXO
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Shashi!! Hope you get a chance to try this one out – I’m sure you’ll love it too 😉 Have a fabulous weekend, my friend! XOXO
Katherine | Love In My Oven
That dressing sounds amazing!!! I love chipotle! You always have the best big salads 🙂 I love salads like these for an easy lunch or dinner. I hope you have a great weekend my friend! XO
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Katherine! You’re so kind! Have a lovely weekend too! XO
Miriam
Love how colourful this salad is and the chipotle lime dressing sounds amazing. I have to admit that I have not used chipotle peppers in my kitchen before but it sounds they are worth looking out for 🙂 Have a great weekend, Dawn!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Miriam! They are pretty tasty and add a lot of flavour to any dish 🙂 Have a great weekend too!!
Marissa
Loving all of the goodies in this salad, Dawn! And with that creamy chipotle dressing? Salad perfection!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Marissa 🙂 Appreciate that!
April
Yummy! This looks great. I love a good salad with chicken. I’ve been seeing a lot of salads with chipotle salad dressings on the web lately and this one, along with the others, sound super good. I’m going to have to try it out! Thanks for the inspiration!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you April!! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
[email protected]
This is my kind of dinner these days! And that dressing has my full attention!! Simple and so delicious! Love it! 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Happy to hear that!! Thank you Annie 🙂 XOXO
traci
You had me at Southwest…and I’m always game for salad. Srsly, I love chipotle flavors SOOO much that I use it in many things. It’s my favorite Southwest flavor, for sure! Your salad looks gorgeous…and timely as we’re on a similar kick right now 🙂 Just pinned this beauty!
Girl Heart Food
Yay!! Me too, Traci – I eat ’em on the regular! Hope you love this one as much as we do! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Annie @ Annie's Noms
LOVING this!! It looks absolutely delicious and so full of flavour! I love a good chicken salad recipe and you cannot go wrong with this salad and the dressing looks and sounds amazing!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much Annie!! Appreciate that! Hope you get a chance to try this one out soon 🙂
Dannii
What a stunning looking salad. That chipotle lime dressing sounds epic too and I want to put it on everything.
Girl Heart Food
Thank you so much, Dannii! It is pretty delicious! Great on sandwiches and tacos too 🙂
Liz
Yum!!! I want some of that chipotle lime dressing. That sounds like the perfect spicy dressing!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Liz!! It’s pretty delish 🙂
Julia
Wish this was on my table right now! 🙂 Didn’t know what chipotle peppers were so thanks for clarifying that! 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Julia! Me and you both 😉
karrie @ Tasty Ever After
I’m always roasting a chicken for Sunday or Monday night dinner, so this salad recipe would be perfect to use the leftover chicken for the next night’s dinner! Freaking love chipotle pepper anything too! WOOOHOOOO to bringing on Cinco de Mayo!
Girl Heart Food
YES!! I say go for it!! Me too – that spicy, smoky heat is wicked! Thanks girl! XOXO
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
You always have the prettiest (and tastiest) salads, Dawn! I love a salad that’s just loaded with goodies. And, um, it’s OK to drink the dressing with a straw if no one can see me do it, right? I don’t wanna be impolite about it or anything, but it sounds completely irresistible! Have a great weekend, girlie!
Girl Heart Food
You’re so sweet! Thanks so much, Kelsie! I think I could drink that dressing with a straw too…no judgement here 😉 Have a great weekend too, my friend.
Milena
Red leaf lettuce is my absolutely favorite. Any salad with it has a place of honor in my life:) So excited about spring and summer and throwing together dinner salads like yours here. And bring on the chipotle dressings and mayos! Yum! Happy almost weekend, Dawn!
Girl Heart Food
Yay! I agree – bring it on 😉 Thanks Milena! Have a fab weekend!
David @ Spiced
There are so many awesome flavors going on in this salad, Dawn! I love southwest flavors, too. Count me in! And while I do like spicy foods, I think I’ll leave the jalapeno-chomping to your husband…haha. Love this salad idea, and I hope you and the family have a great weekend ahead!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you David!! I don’t think I could eat jalapenos quite like hubby does either 😉 Have a wonderful weekend too 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I think salad season is here….although we are currently in a winter storm warning! (YIKES!) I am going to pretend it’s warm and sunny and keep my fingers crossed for warm sunny weather! I love great salads filled with lots of different tastes and textures. The blue corn chips definitely add the needed crunch! Looks fabulous!
Girl Heart Food
Oh no!! Yes…fingers crossed for warmer weather soon 🙂 Thank you so much, Kathy! Hope you get to try this one out soon!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
This salad will be perfect for the Cinco de Mayo gathering I’m planning! Love that it’s made a little lighter with the homemade salad dressing! I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I didn’t know chipotle peppers were dried and smoked jalapeños! All I know is that I like a bit of spicy, so bring on the peppers!! 😉
Girl Heart Food
Yay! It would be a lovely addition for sure! High five for spicy, am I right?! Thanks Leanne 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Love this kind of bowl salad and loving the southwest flavours! So easy, but so delicious 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thank you so much, Jennifer! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
This is my kind of salad Dawn! I’ve always got extra rotisserie chicken in my fridge, so this will be happening soon at our house! That chipotle lime dressing sounds fab! Pinned!
Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Happy to hear that! Hope you love it! XO