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A vibrant Southwest-style Spicy Southwest Salad topped with grilled chicken slices, drizzled with creamy dressing. The salad includes black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado chunks, romaine lettuce, and crispy tortilla strips, all arranged on a ceramic plate.

Spicy Southwest Salad

This Spicy Southwest Salad is fresh, filling, and full of flavor — grilled chicken, black beans, corn, crisp romaine, and a creamy chipotle lime dressing. Perfect for meal prep or a quick weekday lunch that actually satisfies.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dinner, Salad
Cuisine: American, Southwest, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Spicy Southwest Salad calories, Spicy Southwest Salad Chick-fil-A, Spicy Southwest salad dressing, Spicy Southwest Salad nutrition, Spicy Southwest Salad price, Spicy Southwest Salad Protein, Spicy southwest salad recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill Dressing: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 520kcal
Cost: $15

Equipment

  • 1 Grill or grill pan (For cooking the chicken)
  • 1 Blender or food processor (To make dressing)
  • 1 Large bowl (For salad assembly)
  • 1 Cutting board & knife (For prepping vegetables)
  • 1 Meat thermometer (Ensure chicken reaches 165°F)

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 2 whole Boneless skinless chicken breasts - About 1 lb total
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper

For the Salad Base:

  • 6 cups Romaine lettuce - Chopped
  • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes - Halved
  • 1 cup Black beans - Drained & rinsed
  • 1 cup Corn kernels - Fresh frozen, or charred
  • ½ cup Red onion - Thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Shredded cheddar - or Mexican blend cheese

For the Toppings:

  • ½ cup Tortilla strips - Or crushed tortilla chips
  • 1 Avocado - Sliced fresh before serving
  • 2 tablespoon Fresh cilantro - Chopped
  • 1 Lime - Cut into wedges

For the Creamy Chipotle Dressing:

  • ½ cup Mayo or Greek yogurt - Use yogurt for lighter version
  • 1–2 Chipotle peppers in adobo - Adjust to taste
  • 2 tablespoon Lime juice - Fresh-squeezed
  • 1 clove Garlic - Minced
  • 1 teaspoon Honey - Optional
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt - Adjust to taste

Instructions

  • Pat chicken breasts dry and rub with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil to coat evenly.
  • Grill chicken over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes per side until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice.
    Juicy grilled chicken breasts cooking on a barbecue grill, with visible grill marks and a golden-brown, seasoned crust, surrounded by smoke and glowing heat.
  • Blend mayo or Greek yogurt, chipotle peppers, lime juice, garlic, honey, and salt until smooth. Chill for 10 minutes to let flavors meld.
  • Chop romaine, halve cherry tomatoes, rinse black beans, thaw corn, slice red onion, and shred cheese. Keep avocado for just before serving.
    Fresh salad ingredients neatly arranged on a wooden cutting board, including chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, halved cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, corn kernels, sliced red onions, and half an avocado.
  • In a large bowl, layer romaine, beans, corn, tomatoes, and onion. Top with grilled chicken, cheese, tortilla strips, avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle with chipotle dressing and serve with lime wedges.
    A vibrant Southwest-style Spicy Southwest Salad topped with grilled chicken slices, drizzled with creamy dressing. The salad includes black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado chunks, romaine lettuce, and crispy tortilla strips, all arranged on a ceramic plate.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 400g | Calories: 520kcal (26%) | Carbohydrates: 26g (9%) | Protein: 42g (84%) | Fat: 25g (38%) | Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 105mg (35%) | Sodium: 780mg (34%) | Potassium: 980mg (28%) | Fiber: 8g (33%) | Sugar: 6g (7%) | Vitamin A: 4200IU (84%) | Vitamin C: 32mg (39%) | Calcium: 180mg (18%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)
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