Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad

This Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad is one of my very favorite salads. It's full of tasty ingredients and tossed with a zesty, fresh salad dressing that doubles as the chicken marinade. Yum. During the work week I tend to eat a lot of salads. They’re quick, easy to make, and obviously healthy (as long as you’re using the right ingredients). With my busy schedule I rely on salads packed with protein, because they keep my energy up without making me feel too full or sluggish from eating a larger meal. I have one rule though, they must be extremely flavorful! Eating salads all the time can get boring – fast. In order to keep them interesting I’m constantly coming up with different concoctions. Jump to Recipe

The Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad marinade/salad dressing:

I am obsessed with this cilantro-lime dressing. In order to make it you'll need: olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Simply whisk together in a small bowl. Pour half over the chicken and turn to coat. Reserve the rest for the salad dressing.

Ingredients for Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad:

For this salad you will need: romaine, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, avocado, black beans, feta, cilantro, tortilla strips, and obviously grilled chicken. Simply omit the chicken out for this dish to become vegan. It is still plenty filling without the chicken. I also just love the crunch from the tortilla strips. I use these ones:

Tortilla Strips

Instructions for Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad:

Start by making your cilantro-lime dressing following the above instructions. Allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling.

Grilling instructions:

Grill over high heat for about 8-10 minutes per side but check for desired finish. I like my chicken juicy on the inside but with a little grill char on the outside. Internal temp should be 165. No thermometer? No problem. Pull a large piece off, slice in half and check for pinkness. Pink? Toss back on. No pink? You’re done!

No grill? No problem!

You can also prepare chicken in a skillet, cast iron, grill grate or in the oven. Or on a George Foreman! My favorite method sans grill, though, is to sear in some olive oil in a skillet for about 3 minutes per side then add to baking dish and bake about 10 minutes at 450 to finish it off.

Build your salad:

In a large bowl add romaine, peppers, tomatoes, black beans, feta and cilantro. Top with grilled chicken and tortilla strips. You can add the dressing right away and toss to incorporate or add to individual servings. If you're serving at a dinner and aren't eating right away, I recommend waiting so the salad doesn't become soggy.

Storage instructions:

This recipe makes a good amount of salad. It's great as a dinner entree or to make ahead of time to meal prep for lunch. Just make sure to leave the dressing separate and only add right before eating. Store in refrigerator in a airtight container.

If you enjoyed this recipe you might also enjoy:

Spicy Southwest Chicken Soup

https://www.cuisineandcocktails.com/easy-white-chicken-chili/

Spicy Southwest Chicken Soup

https://www.cuisineandcocktails.com/spicy-southwest-chicken-soup/

Quick Taco Salad

https://www.cuisineandcocktails.com/quick-taco-salad/

Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad

Southwest grilled chicken salad packed full of ingredients like peppers, tomatoes, avocado and beans topped with a cilantro-lime dressing. Yum.

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Southwest

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped and divided
• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more if you like it spicy
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 lb chicken breast sliced into strips
• 1 head romaine chopped
• 1 cup bell peppers (assorted colors) chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes chopped
• 1 avocado sliced
• ½ cup black beans drained and rinsed
• ⅓ cup feta crumbled
• ½ cup tortilla strips

Method

 

1. Combine first 10 ingredients (half of cilantro) in a small bowl and whisk together.
2. Pour half on chicken, turning to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes. Reserve rest for salad dressing.
3. In a large bowl mix together romaine, peppers, tomatoes, avocado, black beans, feta and remaining cilantro.
4. Grill 9-10 minutes per side or until internal temperature is 165 degrees/no longer pink.
5. Allow to cool slightly then slice chicken into bite sized pieces.
6. Top salad with chicken and tortilla strips.
7. Drizzle with salad dressing before serving.