Not your average chicken salad! This quick Southwest Chicken Salad recipe is made with shredded chicken, flavorful spices and a handful of vegetables and protein. Serve on its own, in a sandwich, wrap or bed of lettuce! This recipe is also dairy free and gluten free!
Southwest Flavored Chicken Salad
Is it really summer if you don’t have chicken salad at least once? This southwest chicken salad recipe is definitely a warm weather staple at our house. It comes together so quickly and without the need to turn on a burner or oven. It’s also packed with protein from the shredded chicken and beans so it’ll keep you satisfied.
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Why You’ll Love This Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe
- Quick and Easy - You can make this chicken salad in less than 10 minutes. It’s truly one of the easiest recipes, especially if you have the shredded chicken already cooked. Simply mix all of the ingredients together and you’ll have a delicious dinner or meal for the rest of the week.
- Healthy Add-Ins - This chicken salad has a variety of healthy ingredients and it’s easy to customize.
- Portable - One of the best things about chicken salad is that it’s easy to bring places. It’s the perfect recipe for outdoor barbecues, family gatherings, or work lunches.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken - easily shred chicken using a fork or hand mixer.
- Black Beans - canned black beans add more protein to the dish.
- Corn - for convenience this recipe calls for canned corn but you can use frozen or corn on the cob.
- Jalapeños - either take the seeds out of the fresh jalapenos or keep them in for added spice.
- Pepitas - also known as shelled pumpkin seeds, are delicious in this salad. They can usually be found in the grocery store by other nuts and seeds.
- Cherry Tomatoes - for added color and flavor.
- Red Onion - I like to use raw chopped red onion.
- Lime dressing - made with mayo, lime juice, and a mixture of spices.
How To Serve Chicken Salad
- Plain - this recipe tastes great on its own.
- Lettuce - serve on a bed of lettuce or wrapped up in lettuce leaves.
- Bread or tortilla - make a chicken salad sandwich or wrap for an easy lunch.
- Crackers - one of my favorite ways to serve chicken salad is as a snack dip with crackers.
Storage
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Recipes To Try!
- Salmon Patties
- Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
- Coconut Chickpea Curry
- No Mayo Tuna Salad
- Healthy Orange Chicken
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Quick Southwest Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb cooked shredded chicken about 3 breasts
- 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.25 oz) corn drained
- 1-2 fresh jalapeños seeded, chopped
- ¾ cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup red onion chopped
- ¼ cup pepitas
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayo
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the dressing into a medium bowl. Mix until combined.
- In a large bowl add the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, jalapeños, tomatoes, red onion, and pepitas.
- Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Serve on its own, in a sandwich or over lettuce. Enjoy!
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