Southwest Chicken Salad (20g Protein) Recipe
A flavorful and protein-packed Southwest Chicken Salad featuring shredded chicken, black beans, corn, fresh veggies, and a creamy, zesty dressing. This salad is perfect as a light lunch or dinner and pairs well with tortilla chips, crostini, or lettuce wraps.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes (plus optional chilling time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No cook, mixing
- Cuisine: Southwestern
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Base:
- 2 cans chicken, drained and flaked OR 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup corn (canned or thawed from frozen)
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup red onion or green onions, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small avocado, diced (add just before serving)
- Juice of 1 lime
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayo or Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp hot sauce or chipotle sauce
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the drained chicken, corn, black beans, red bell pepper, red onion or green onions, and chopped cilantro. Stir in the lime juice and diced avocado (add avocado just before mixing to prevent browning).
- Prepare Dressing: In a separate small bowl, mix the mayo or Greek yogurt with hot sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Mix Together: Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently stir everything together until all ingredients are well coated with the dressing.
- Chill: For optimal flavor, cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. This step is optional but recommended.
- Serve: Serve the Southwest Chicken Salad as a standalone dish, with tortilla chips, on crostini, or wrapped in lettuce cups or tortillas for a lighter meal option.
Notes
- Add avocado just before serving to maintain its freshness and color.
- You can substitute mayo with Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier dressing.
- Adjust hot sauce amount to your preferred spice level.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (about 200g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: Southwest Chicken Salad, chicken salad, black bean salad, corn salad, healthy salad, high protein salad, summer salad
