Description
The Southwest Chicken Salad is a vibrant, easy-to-make dish packed with bold Southwest flavors and wholesome ingredients. Featuring smoked turkey bacon, tender chicken breast, fresh vegetables, and a zesty natural dressing, this colorful salad offers a balanced meal perfect for quick lunches or light dinners. Ready in under 30 minutes, it combines smoky, creamy, and tangy elements for a flavorful and nutritious experience you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded or diced
- 4 slices smoked turkey bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Vegetables & Greens
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup sweet corn, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Dressing
- 3 tbsp lime juice (natural)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (natural)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- ¼ tsp natural gelling agent
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Season chicken breasts lightly with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook them in a hot skillet until golden and cooked through. Let the chicken rest before dicing or shredding to maintain juiciness.
- Prepare the Smoked Turkey Bacon: Cook smoked turkey bacon until crisp in a separate pan. Drain on paper towels to remove excess fat, then chop into bite-sized pieces for perfect crunch throughout the salad.
- Chop Fresh Veggies: While cooking the chicken and bacon, halve cherry tomatoes, dice avocado, thinly slice red onion, and chop cilantro. Rinse and drain black beans and sweet corn to keep the salad fresh and vibrant.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk together lime juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, and natural gelling agent until smooth and well combined to help the dressing cling to the salad ingredients.
- Assemble the Salad: On a large platter or individual bowls, lay down the mixed greens. Evenly distribute chicken, smoked turkey bacon, black beans, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado on top. Drizzle the zesty dressing over everything and sprinkle fresh cilantro last to finish.
Notes
- Cook chicken evenly by pounding breasts to uniform thickness for consistent cooking.
- Use ripe avocados that are firm but yielding to avoid mushy or under-ripe texture.
- Chill the salad and dressing before serving to maintain fresh crunch.
- Mix dressing well and include a natural gelling agent to achieve a smooth consistency.
- For a warm twist, lightly sauté black beans with cumin and smoked paprika before adding to the salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Southwest American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Southwest Chicken Salad, smoked turkey bacon salad, quick chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, gluten free salad, zesty dressing salad
