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High-Protein Southwest Chicken Salad with Creamy Chipotle-Lime Dressing

A vibrant bowl of southwest chicken salad mixed with corn and black beans, served over lettuce and topped with diced avocado.
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Make this satisfying Southwest Chicken Salad for a quick lunch or light dinner. It features grilled chicken, black beans, corn, and a zesty, creamy chipotle-lime dressing. This recipe is excellent for meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • For the Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 small chipotle pepper in adobo, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce for less heat)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Grill or bake until cooked through. Shred or dice the chicken.
  2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and minced chipotle pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
  4. Combine: Pour about half of the dressing over the chicken and vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat.
  5. Serve or store: Divide the romaine lettuce among four meal prep containers or serving bowls. Top the lettuce with the chicken mixture. Add diced avocado just before serving, or store separately for meal prep. Drizzle with additional dressing as desired.

Notes

  • For make ahead salad storage, keep the dressing and avocado separate from the greens and other ingredients until you are ready to eat. This keeps everything crisp.
  • To boost the protein content further, add 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese.
  • If you prefer a less creamy dressing, substitute the Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup water or milk to thin.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mistyplate.com/southwest-chicken-salad-recipe/