This Southwest chicken salad is packed full of fresh and vibrant ingredients and made with a chili lime dressing. Spiced chicken breasts are coated in a spice mixture and oven baked for a filling and hearty Mexican salad.
Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe with Homemade Chili Lime Dressing
When it’s hot outside a hearty and fresh salad is what I’m left craving, and this Southwest chicken salad hits all the right spots! Loaded with flavor and super easy to make – it’s the perfect summertime meal!
How to Make Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
SOUTHWEST CHICKEN BREASTS
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Pat the chicken breasts dry
- Brush them with olive oil
- In a small bowl mix together the chili powder, paprika, cumin and garlic salt
- Pour the spice mixture onto a plate
- Coat the chicken breasts in the spice mixture
- Place the chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet
- Put the baking sheet in the oven
- Bake for 20-25 minutes*
CHILI LIME DRESSING
- Add the greek yogurt to a small bowl
- Mix in the spices and lime juice
- Keep mixing until the mixture is completely smooth, set aside
SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl and the tomatoes, black beans, bell peppers, corn, avocado and queso fresco, toss
- Add the southwest chicken slices, toss
- Pour over the chili lime dressing, toss to coat
- Divide into 4 bowls
- Garnish with lime slices and fresh cilantro
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Is a Southwest Chicken Salad healthy?
You’ll find this yummy Mexican salad in lots of fast food and chain restaurants you know, and guess what, even though it’s a salad, it can be loaded with fat, sugar and salt.
My homemade version is a much healthier option and super delicious! It’s high in protein and this giant portion comes in around 530 calories and makes a really well balanced meal.
Spicy Mexican Salad
This tasty salad is flavored with spices you would typically find in Mexican cuisine; chili, cumin and paprika and this spice blend gives a wonderful hit of warmth and heat to every bite.
The salad bowl is made of fresh and healthy ingredients synonymous with Mexican food:
- black beans
- corn
- avocado
- queso fresco
- cilantro
- lime
Once combined with the creamy chili and lime dressing, it creates salad bowl that is simply bursting with flavor!
Make ahead Southwest Chicken Salad
This is a great salad to make for meal prep lunches and dinners. You can cook up several chicken breasts and keep them covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can make up the salads into containers, and make the sauce separately.
When ready to serve, just cut the chicken breast, lay it on the salad and add the dressing. Perfect for packed lunches and easy, no fuss weeknight meals.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Bake the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, time will vary depending on the thickness of the breasts.
- Use the freshest ingredients you can for the best flavor.
- If making this ahead of time, add the dressing just before serving.
- To make this dish less spicy, use a teaspoon of chili powder on the chicken breasts instead of a tablespoon.
More Chicken Salad Recipes to Try
- Napa Almond Chicken Salad
- Santa Fe Chicken Salad
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad
- Harvest Chicken Salad
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Southwest Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
Chili Lime Dressing
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chili spice
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Dash of garlic salt
- Juice of 1 lime
Southwest Chicken Salad
- 8 cups lettuce
- 1 cup multicolored cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup bell peppers sliced
- 2 ears of corn sliced off the cob
- 1 large avocado sliced
- ½ cup queso fresco
- Southwest Chicken Breasts
- Chili Lime Dressing
- lime
- cilantro
Instructions
Southwest Chicken Breasts
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Pat the chicken breasts dry.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Brush them with olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- In a small bowl mix together the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic salt.1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- Pour the spice mixture onto a plate.
- Coat the chicken breasts in the spice mixture.
- Place the chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Put the baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes*.
Chili Lime Dressing
- Add the greek yogurt to a small bowl.1 cup plain greek yogurt
- Mix in the spices and lime juice.1 teaspoon chili spice, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, Dash of garlic salt, Juice of 1 lime
- Keep mixing until the mixture is completely smooth, set aside.
Southwest Chicken Salad
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl.8 cups lettuce
- Add the tomatoes, black beans, bell peppers, corn, avocado, and queso fresco, toss.1 cup multicolored cherry tomatoes, 1 cup black beans, 1 cup bell peppers, 2 ears of corn, 1 large avocado, ½ cup queso fresco
- Add the southwest chicken (sliced), toss.Southwest Chicken Breasts
- Add the chili lime dressing, toss to coat.Chili Lime Dressing
- Divide into 4 bowls.
- Garnish with lime slices and fresh cilantro.lime, cilantro
Notes
The best salad!
thanks friend
I love everything about this! I can’t wait to make this for me and my husband. Thank you!
Hope you both love it 🙂
Such a delicious recipe! Served this for dinner last night and it has quickly become a new family favorite recipe! Yum!
hooray!!!!
I always love a southwest chicken salad. This one didn’t disappoint!
So glad 🙂
YUM!! This is totally my kind of salad!! Perfect for lunch!!
AGREE!
I would love to make this recipe but I have no idea what chili spice is. Can you please elaborate? I can find nothing on the internet.
Hi Margy, chili spice, aka chili seasoning, is a blend of spices that includes chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper!