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This fresh and bright southwest chicken salad is perfect for sandwiches, wraps, dips, and so much more. Loaded with juicy chicken, fresh veggies, rich black beans, and a creamy and tangy sauce, this recipe is perfect any day of the week!
Southwest Chicken Salad is a fresh, flavorful, and hearty dish that’s anything but boring. Loaded with juicy chicken, crisp veggies, black beans, corn, and a zesty dressing, it’s the perfect balance of protein and crunch. It is great whether you’re serving it for a light dinner, meal prepping for the week, or serving a crowd.
This southwestern chicken salad is one of my go-to recipes for a picnic lunch or to make ahead to have for quick lunches during the week. It’s rich and protein-packed, but also light and refreshing. The variety of southwestern flavors go so well together, so you’ve got to try this easy chicken recipe.
What You’ll Need
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- Chicken – Use cooked and shredded chicken (leftovers are great for this recipe).
- Corn – You can use canned corn, thawed frozen corn, or fresh-cooked corn.
- Black beans – Make sure to drain and rinse the beans.
- Tomatoes
- Onion – Red onion is best for this recipe, but white or yellow onions will work in a pinch.
- Fresh cilantro – can use parsley if you aren’t a fan of cilantro
- Mayo
- Taco seasoning
- Lime juice – Always use freshly-squeezed lime juice.
- Salt
- Black pepper – Make sure to use fresh cracked pepper.
How to Make Southwest Chicken Salad
You’ll be shocked at how easy this 10-minute southwestern chicken salad is. Here’s how to make it.
- Add the salad ingredients. In a large bowl add the chicken, corn, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and beans. Carefully toss them together until mixed.
- Make the dressing. Add the mayo, lime juice, and taco seasoning to a small bowl, and whisk until well combined.
- Mix. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the salad, and toss until the chicken, beans, and veggies are well coated.
- Adjust. Taste the chicken salad, and add salt and pepper as necessary. The amount you’ll need depends on your taste, and the chicken and taco seasoning that you use.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few tricks and tips to try when you make this healthy and hearty southwest chicken salad.
- Let it chill. This recipe only takes 10 minutes to make, and then you can eat it immediately. But it’s even better if you give it some time to chill. If you have the time, let the salad sit in the fridge for an hour or two before you eat it. That will give the chicken time to absorb all the amazing southwestern seasonings. The flavors will meld together, and the salad will firm up a little bit.
- Use homemade seasoning. I love to make homemade seasonings and spice rubs. One of my favorite spice blend recipes is my Homemade Taco Seasoning. It’s a super simple recipe, so I always have some hand-made taco seasoning in my spice cabinet.
- Make it spicy. This recipe isn’t very spicy. It just has a little kick from the taco seasoning and the fresh onion. If you like foods with a kick, you can add fresh jalapeños or canned green chiles to the recipe. You can also bump up the heat by adding extra cayenne powder to the taco seasoning when you make the dressing.
- Use lite mayo. Southwest chicken salad is a really healthy recipe. But if you want to make it even healthier, you can do so by using lite mayonnaise, or even replacing some of the mayo with Greek yogurt.
What to Serve With This Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
You can eat this southwest chicken salad in sandwiches, wraps, as dip, or so many other ways. But however you eat it, I always like to serve it with some Mexican side dishes,
- Mexican Coleslaw
- Baked Mexican Cheese Dip
- Chips with Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, and Crock Pot Queso Dip
- Strawberry Agua Fresca
- Pineapple Margarita
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover southwest chicken salad can be stored in the fridge for at least 3 days. Make sure to store the salad in an airtight container, and give it a stir before serving to make sure that it’s well combined.
Freezing
I don’t recommend freezing this chicken salad. The texture of the fresh veggies will get funky when frozen and then thawed.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Ideas
Chicken is such a great food to eat for lunch or dinner. It’s affordable, easy to cook, healthy, and so delicious.
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
- Spicy Chicken Stir Fry
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla
Southwest Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups approximately 1 pound cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup mayo
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Carefully toss until well mixed.2 cups approximately 1 pound cooked and shredded chicken, 1 cup corn kernels, 1 cup black beans, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- In a small bowl, add the mayo, taco seasoning, and lime juice, then whisk until smooth.1 cup mayo, 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- Pour the dressing over the chicken salad mixture. Carefully mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Taste the chicken salad, and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary, then serve.Salt and pepper to taste
Notes
- You can serve this chicken salad as a sandwich, in a wrap, on top of a salad, as a dip, or even eat it straight.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, and stir before eating.
- I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
- For the best flavor, chill the chicken salad for 1-2 hours before eating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Ooh, that looks so good. I think I’m going to serve mine with tortilla chips!
The picture alone is making my mouth water! Thank you so much for sharing!
This salad is fantaaastic! I am so excited to try it!
I would love to try this! It looks and sounds amazing!!
Such a rich and nutrient salad! It has all the ingredients I like!
Such an amazing salad recipe! Packed full of flavors and easy to make! Thanks for sharing!
So easy and delicious! Highly recommend.