Southwest Chicken Salad.
You know a salad without vegetables is a salad approved by me.
The only veggies floating around in this bowl are the chunks in salsa, which I will inevitably avoid anyway.
Sure, there is some corn, but we all know corn isn’t a real vegetable.
If it was, I wouldn’t be eating it. Don’t burst my bubble.
I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, and a touch of cumin before grilling to give it more of a Mexican flavor.
Ideally, I would love to eat Mexican every night. I wish I could swim and shower in margaritas.
But my entree of choice would be greasy, cheesy enchiladas and endless bowls of chips and salsa.
I don’t think I need to explain why that shouldn’t happen every day. So instead, I throw a few measly pieces of lettuce (almost brown, since it has been hiding in the depths of my crisper drawer for 3 weeks) on a plate and top it with beans, cheese, and crispy tortillas.
I used a corn tortilla for the crispy tortilla strips – I think corn works better than flour or whole wheat. They are a bit more dense and toast perfectly.
Southwest Chicken Salad
3 cups leafy romaine
4-5 ounces grilled chicken
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup sweet corn
1 ounce shredded, low-fat cheese
2 slices avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons salsa
1/2 corn tortilla
sea salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400.
Slice tortilla into thin strips and spritz with olive oil. Top with sea salt and bake for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Combine all salad ingredients together, topping with grilled chicken. Add tortilla strips on top.
This salad is a delicious mish-mash of flavors and textures.
And yes, I love it that much more since it is mostly veggie-free.
I’l never learn.
55 Comments on “Southwest Chicken Salad.”
I agree, I could swim in margaritas. Especially with the warm weather we have been having. I love the idea of tortilla strips! You and tortillas are a match made in heaven.
I could eat a mexican salad every day and it would never get old! You know I love my veggies, but corn is too sweet to be a veggie besides my oldest son will eat it, so I would definitely say…not a veggie! Cumin is my favorite herb and it makes me question myself because it is so good, but doesn’t it smell a little like BO? Anyway, your salad looks SO good! Enjoy your day!
I would love to eat Mexican every day too. Their flavour combinations are to die for. As corn is so sweet I think it counts as a sweet treat! This salad look delicious!
HAhahaha look at the dictionary definition of a salad:
a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients
I think I like yours better. ;)
Wei-Wei
mmmm mexican! Delicious. I bet the avocado makes this salad. I love how you created your own healthier tortilla strips. Gorgeous
Love this salad! I’m making this soon!
I love salads with all kinds of bright colors involved. It just looks prettier :smile:
yum, yum, yum!
I LOVE big salads in the summer, and this looks perfect!
Yum…looks good to me!
yum! i love southwestern salads like this one! salsa is a must even if it is made of veggies ;-)
I love how your recipes totally appeal to my seasonal cravings! This salad sounds fabulous!!
Oh. Wow. Just. Ah…. wow. I am at a loss for words. It just looks so good!! The first salad that has ever left me speechless. I am drooling a little!
Blessings!
Amanda
I made this chunky salsa/avocado/corn BOWL and use it as dressing on my salads its so so so good! HOWEVER I want this salad now with those tortilla strips and beans and avocado YUMM i love mexican too! :)
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Looks like my kind of salad!!
You sure know how to make a salad! So colorful.
Anything that can be served with a margarita (which, really, is everything), is a-okay with me
mexican salads are one of my favorites…i love all of the flavors, and i’m with madeline…if you can serve it with a marg, I’m all in!
Yum! Looks delicious! I love hearty salads with corn and meat!
Totally with you on the mexican theme – I could eat it every day and never get sick of it.
Love your “almost” veggie salad!
That looks deeeeeeeeelicious! I want those chunks of avocado all to myself, lol.
Jenn
Mmm that looks wonderful!!
Mexican-inspired salads are my favorite, especially with corn. It adds so much sweetness!
very nice!
I’m so with you on the Mexican every day. I always loved Mexican, but since moving to SA, it’s all I ever want. Breakfast tacos, quesdillas, nachos, enchiladas, tacos, burritos….we made a big bowl of homemade guacamole last weekend and polished off it and a bag of blue corn tortilla chips in one day.
Totally craving Mexican now…
Lucky me I just had BBQ dinner and am satisfied, otherwise I would be craving this salad badly now :D
you like SOME veggies! ;) haha sorry im such a pain.
I feel the same way about Mexican and Margaritas!!!
I LOVE southwest chicken salads! Need to make ASAP!
PS. I’m making nachos tonight and I think the veggies I’m sneaking in would even sneak by you! :)
I think this is one salad that Mike would be on board to eat with zero complaints!
This is hands down my favorite kind of salad. NOM NOM NOM!
those tortilla strips are a great addition!
Looks DELICIOUS Jessica! My kind of salad, and I agree. I, too, wish I could eat Mexican food every single night!
Looks fantastic! LOVE salads, Love Mexican, this is a match made in heaven!
I’ll have to try making my own tortilla strips. Great idea. The salad looks like it has the perfect amount of veggies to me. Delicious!
What a great way of using tortilla chips! Love it!
I love Mexican food too! If I had a choice of one thing to eat forever – it would probably be Mexican.
Chicken salads are one of my favorite things on earth. This looks like the perfect meal.
Mmm Mexican every night would be heavenly :) This looks delish, especially for a salad!
Well hello, SALAD BEAST! Yummm. I love any salad with black beans and corn in it.
http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
This salad looks phenomenal! Like, wow! This is a must try and perfect for summer. So happy I found your blog!
xxMary
Delightful Bitefuls
This looks so tasty! I love the mixture on ingredients you chose. Does this salad have a dressing? Or is it just too good on it’s own?
I love a good BIG salad. Not the silly little plated kind of salads that you’d get at a wedding or a 5 star restaurant. Salads like this one that are a meal…that gets 6 stars in my book! ;-)
SERIOUSLY one of my fav things ive seen on here girl!! YUMMM Jess!
This looks so tasty! I love the mixture on ingredients you chose. Does this salad have a dressing? Or is it just too good on it’s own?
I didn’t add dressing because the salsa acted somewhat of a dressing. I am pretty boring when it comes to dressing and just use vinegar. Unfortunately I just don’t really like the taste of salad dressings!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I got some Avocado’s this weekend just for the occasion :)
Finally, a chicken salad I don’t have to go out for!
Looks delicious! I love southwest flavors… It’s a great way to trick me into eating a salad :)
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I am making this tonight! It looks amazing!