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Healthy Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad - Fresh, Zesty, and Satisfying

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Chicken: 2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped (grilled, rotisserie, or leftover)
  • Greens: 4 cups chopped romaine or a mix of romaine and cabbage for extra crunch
  • Corn: 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
  • Black Beans: 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • Bell Pepper: 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
  • Tomatoes: 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 2 Roma tomatoes, diced)
  • Red Onion: 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • Avocado: 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • Cilantro: 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Jalapeño (optional): 1 small, seeded and minced for heat
  • Cheese (optional): 1/3 cup crumbled cotija or shredded cheddar
  • Tortilla Strips (optional): A handful for crunch
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole for creaminess)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large lime, zested and juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Cook or prep the chicken. If starting from raw, season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and a drizzle of oil, then grill or pan-sear until cooked through. Let it rest, then chop into small pieces. Rotisserie chicken works great too.
  2. Make the dressing. In a bowl or jar, whisk yogurt, olive oil, lime zest and juice, vinegar, honey, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust acidity, sweetness, and salt.
  3. Prep the veggies. Chop romaine, dice bell pepper, halve tomatoes, mince jalapeño, and finely chop red onion and cilantro. Rinse and drain black beans. If using canned corn, drain well; if frozen, thaw and pat dry.
  4. Optional corn upgrade. For extra flavor, char corn in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned.
  5. Assemble the base. In a large bowl, add chopped romaine (and cabbage if using), black beans, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro.
  6. Add chicken and avocado. Fold in chopped chicken. Gently add diced avocado last to avoid mashing.
  7. Dress and toss. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad. Toss until everything is lightly coated. Add more dressing if needed. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Finish with toppings. Sprinkle cotija or cheddar and tortilla strips if you like. Serve right away with lime wedges on the side.