Southwest Chicken Salad
This Southwest Chicken Salad is made with tender taco-seasoned chicken that is layered over crisp romaine lettuce with black beans, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, shredded cheese, and crunchy Fritos, then finished with a creamy cilantro lime ranch dressing. It’s an easy, satisfying salad recipe that works perfectly for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped (from above)
- 1 cup canned corn drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 4 cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce
- ½ cup Colby Jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup Fritos
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ tsp taco seasoning to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, and taco seasoning. Add chicken breasts and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 6–7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Rest for 5 minutes, then chop into 1-inch pieces.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ranch, taco seasoning, cilantro, and lime juice until smooth. Adjust taco seasoning to taste.
- Divide romaine between bowls. Top with cooked, chopped chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, and cheese.
- Drizzle with Cilantro Lime Ranch and top with Fritos and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Servings: 2
Calories: 720kcal