Southwest Chicken Salad

This Southwest Chicken Salad is bright, crispy, and absolutely delicious. The southwestern salad is loaded with pan seared blackened chicken, tomatoes, black beans, corn, feta and dates all tossed in a creamy honey and lime dressing.

I love a good salad full of tons of ingredients and this one really packs a lot into a bowl. The blackened chicken in this southwestern salad is amazingly spiced to perfection. Don’t let the word Cajun scare you off; this has a little spice, but you can easily adjust the seasonings to your liking. With a variety of texture like crisp romaine lettuce topped with juicy chicken, cherry tomatoes, black beans, fresh corn, the creaminess of avocado and feta, a sweet bite of Medjool dates, topped with the crunch of a tortilla chips, this salad is a game changer. You can easily modify this to meet your dietary restrictions, too. I love serving this to a crowd because it is such a hearty salad with so much flavor; it disappears fast! This is the perfect main dish salad with bold flavors that will be a go-to recipe for those busy schedules who need something quick and easy.

Why You Will Love This Easy Southwest Chicken Salad

This quick and easy southwestern salad recipe is ready in 30 minutes!
This southwest salad is crunchy, creamy, spicy, sweet and zesty! It’s absolutely packed with flavor and ridiculously good.
The dressing is so good you will contemplate drinking it with a spoon, its zesty, creamy and so tasty! The cool flavors of the dressing really compliment the blackened chicken.
It is super versatile because you can add more veggies, change the veggies, swap the chicken for shrimp and more!
With simple ingredients, you can find any of them at your local grocery store.
Meal prep has never been easier with this recipe in your pocket!
This recipe is gluten-free and is easily adjustable to be dairy-free, grain-free, Paleo, Keto, Whole30, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal.

Ingredients You Need For This Southwest Chicken Salad

Chicken: I love using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe because they are fresh and is a lean protein but can be substituted for boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
Spices: Paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, chili powder, and sea salt are used to season the chicken. I recommend using the spices listed in the recipe rather than a bottle cajun or blackened mix.
Oil: I love avocado oil because it has a mild, neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Olive oil is a delicious option, too.
Lettuce: Romaine lettuce is bright and crispy, perfect for this salad. You could also use iceberg or green leaf lettuce.
Tomato: I recommend cherry tomatoes, but you can definitely use grape tomatoes or finely diced tomatoes of your choice.
Black Beans: I love black beans in a Southwest salad, but if you prefer pinto beans or red kidney beans, feel free to add them or substitute them.
Fresh Avocado: I recommend not mixing in the avocado until you are ready to serve this salad because they will brown and make the salad soggy.
Corn: Fresh sweet corn is amazing and is my preference. But you can also use frozen corn or canned corn. Be sure to check for added preservatives.
Feta: Feta makes this salad creamy and delicious, feel free to swap it for cotija cheese, a salty mexican cheese with a similar texture.
Medjool Dates: Be sure to pit your dates before chopping. For added convenience, you can also buy dates already pitted.
Tortilla strips or tortilla chips: This crunchy topping is perfectly salty and an amazing way to use up the bottom of a chip bag that we all have lying around. Blue corn tortilla chips would also be amazing! I recommend not mixing it in because the tortilla strips will become soggy if there are any leftovers.
Dressing: Mayonnaise, fresh garlic cloves, fresh lime juice, honey, and fresh cilantro make the most amazing creamy dressing to bring it all together.

You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below

How To Make This Southwest Salad with Blackened Chicken

Cut each chicken breast in half diagonally through the middle so you have two pieces that are approximately even in thickness. In a shallow bowl or plate combine all of the spices for the chicken and generously season the chicken pieces with the spices on all sides.
Add the oil to a nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add chicken pieces for 5 minutes per side until dark brown in color and meat is 165 degrees F. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, honey, and cilantro in a blender and blend with an immersion blender or a high-speed blender until smooth.
Add the romaine lettuce to a large bowl or platter. Top with the cherry tomatoes, beans, corn, feta, dates, avocado, and tortilla strips. Add the sliced chicken, and finally, pour the dressing over top and toss until everything is well coated.

Can I Make This Southwest Chicken Salad In Advance?

I highly recommend this on a day when meal prep is helpful for you. Cook your chicken and store it in the fridge in a well-sealed container. Wash and prep the lettuce and store it in an airtight container or in a big bowl with all the veggies and toppings. Make the dressing and store it in a separate container, then toss everything together when you’re ready to serve.

This would also be amazing as a salad where everyone can build their own. Prepare all the ingredients and lay them out on a tray or in separate containers. Set the dressing out, and enjoy!

Is The Blackened Chicken Spicy?

I would give this a low to medium spiciness. It has an amazing bold flavor and a slight spiciness to it. If you have an aversion to spice, you can definitely leave out the chili powder or add a touch more chili powder if you want it to have a kick!

What’s In The Honey Lime Dressing

This Honey Lime Dressing is light and fresh and pairs perfectly with all of the ingredients in this southwestern salad. It’s an incredibly easy dressing to make, simply place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Mayonnaise is the base for this dressing (you can use homemade or store bought) but if you don’t like mayonnaise, you could substitute it for greek yogurt or sour cream. The mayonnaise is then blended with garlic, fresh lime juice, cilantro and honey. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavor by adding more honey or lime juice to suit your preference. Any leftover honey lime dressing will last for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be used as a salad dressing or dipping sauce.

How Can I Modify This Southwest Chicken Salad

If you can’t do dairy, no need to worry! Simply remove the feta cheese and it will still be creamy and delicious.
Add fresh veggies like red bell pepper, green onions, black olives, pinto beans, or add more cheese like cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese. Top it with some fresh pico de gallo for an added kick!
If you are short on time, you can replace the blackened chicken with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Alternatively use my shredded chicken recipe here as a seasoned chicken alternative for this delicious meal.
If you are looking for a good grain free tortilla chip option for this southwestern salad I recommend using Siete chips, they are amazing!

What About Leftovers

Of course, this southwest chicken salad is best eaten the first time it is served, but leftovers will last in the fridge for about 3-4 days if stored well in a tightly sealed container. But be aware that the chips will become soggy, and the avocado will brown. To prevent this, you can serve them on the side so you won’t end up with a soggy salad.

Here are a few more chicken salad recipes you might enjoy:

If you make this southwestern salad recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!