Description
A vibrant, protein-packed Southwest Chicken Salad bursting with fresh veggies, creamy avocado, and a smoky cumin-lime dressing. Perfect for meal prep, easy lunches, or light summer dinners.
Ingredients
- 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
- 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
1. In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken, corn, black beans, red bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo (or Greek yogurt), hot sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
3. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and stir well to coat everything evenly.
4. Squeeze in the juice of one lime and gently fold in the diced avocado just before serving.
5. If time allows, refrigerate for 15 minutes to let flavors meld.
6. Enjoy in wraps, lettuce cups, over greens, or with tortilla chips.
Notes
Dice ingredients evenly for balanced bites.
Use pre-cooked chicken to save time.
Add avocado just before serving to keep it fresh.
For extra crunch, top with crushed tortilla chips.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: None
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Southwest / Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g