This southwest chicken salad is fresh, flavorful, and packed with plenty of protein and colorful veggies. Tender chicken, black beans, sweet corn, crunchy bell pepper, and fresh cilantro come together with a creamy lime dressing that has just the right balance of tangy, sweet, and smoky flavor.
It’s easy to throw together ahead of time, and letting it chill for a little while gives all those Southwest inspired flavors a chance to mingle. Serve it on its own, spoon it over greens, or tuck it into a wrap for an easy lunch.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
For the Creamy Dressing
- Juice of 1 lime, about 3 tablespoons
- Juice of ¼ lemon, about 2 tablespoons
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Additional salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1: Combine the Salad Ingredients
First, grab a large bowl and then add the diced chicken, thawed corn, black beans, red bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions. Give everything a good stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. At this point, you’ve already got a colorful, fresh looking salad coming together.
Step 2: Make the Dressing
After that, grab a small bowl and whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil, Greek yogurt, honey, cumin, oregano, and kosher salt. Keep whisking until the dressing is smooth and creamy. The Greek yogurt gives it a nice creamy texture without making it feel too heavy, while the lime, lemon, and honey bring a delicious balance of bright and slightly sweet flavors.
Step 3: Toss Everything Together
Once the dressing is smooth, pour it over the chicken mixture. Then, give everything a good stir until the dressing evenly coats the chicken, beans, vegetables, and herbs. Take a quick taste and add a little more salt or some freshly ground black pepper if you think it needs it.
Step 4: Chill the Salad
Now, cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before serving. Don’t skip this little waiting period if you can help it. That short chill actually gives all those flavors a chance to mingle, and the salad tastes even better once everything has had some time to come together.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
After the salad has chilled, give it one more quick stir and then serve.
And that’s it! Fresh, filling, and packed with Southwest-inspired flavor, this southwest chicken salad is an easy make ahead meal that’s just as good for lunch as it is for a quick dinner.
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