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The Best Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad with Creamy Chipotle Ranch

Close-up of a hearty southwest salad featuring shredded chicken, avocado, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and creamy dressing.
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Make this vibrant Southwest Chicken Salad for a quick dinner or healthy lunch. It features seasoned chicken, fresh vegetables, black beans, corn, and a creamy chipotle ranch dressing for bold flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips (for topping)
  • For the Creamy Chipotle Ranch Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotles (or 1 teaspoon chipotle powder)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken breasts evenly with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest for 5 minutes before shredding or dicing.
  3. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lime juice, chipotle adobo sauce (or powder), minced garlic, and salt. Stir in the chopped cilantro until combined.
  4. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and red onion.
  5. Add the cooked chicken to the salad mixture.
  6. Drizzle the desired amount of chipotle ranch dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat everything.
  7. Divide the salad among serving bowls. Top each serving with diced avocado and crushed tortilla chips. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • You can cook the chicken ahead of time for quick meal prep lunches.
  • For a vegetarian option, skip the chicken and add extra black beans or roasted sweet potato cubes.
  • If you do not have chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, use 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder for smoky heat in the dressing.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fooddexterity.com/southwest-salad-recipe-easy-weeknight/