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Quick Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe

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A fresh, bold, and flavor-packed salad featuring juicy chicken, crisp veggies, and zesty dressing—all ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for quick lunches, meal prep, or a healthy dinner option.

  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped (rotisserie or grilled)
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup canned or frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Dressing of choice (ranch, Greek yogurt-taco mix, or chipotle-lime vinaigrette)

Instructions

  1. Chop and prep all vegetables: red bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and avocado.
  2. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, and red onion.
  3. Add avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
  4. Season with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. Drizzle with chosen dressing and toss gently to combine.
  6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes before serving.
  7. Optional: serve over romaine, wrap in tortillas, or on top of rice/quinoa for a burrito bowl.

Notes

Keep dressing light to avoid soggy salad. Prepping veggies and using rotisserie chicken speeds things up. Don’t forget the acid—it ties the flavors together beautifully.

  • Author: Sabella Sachi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: Southwest

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 360
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 580mg
  • Fat: 20g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 14g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 18g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 28g
  • Cholesterol: 70mg