After a long day on dusty trails, it’s wonderful to plunge into a refreshing salad that leaves you energized and satisfied. The Southwestern Salad rustles up some fantastic flavors from the juicy seared chicken coated in chili powder, hearty black beans, sharp Mexican cheese, and a creamy, tangy avocado dressing. With added crunch from tortilla strips and crispy lettuce, the Southwestern Salad is a tastebud stallion! It only takes 35 minutes to make this salad, so you can have it ready in a hurry whether as a first course or as a meal in and of itself!
Ingredients
For the optional chicken:
- 1 pound chicken breast or tenders, boneless and skinless
- chili powder, to taste
- cumin, to taste
- paprika, to taste
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
For the avocado dressing:
- 1 medium-sized avocado, peeled and seeded
- juice of 1 1/2 limes
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 large tomatillo, paper skin removed and roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the salad:
- 4-6 cups romaine lettuce, plus more as needed, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup jicama, optional, diced
- 1/2-1 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- tortilla strips, optional, to taste, for topping
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 2 –Season the chicken with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Step 3 –Bake the chicken until it reaches 165 degrees F in its thickest part, about 17-20 minutes.
Step 4 –Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with foil for 10 minutes.
Step 5 –Slice or dice the chicken and set it aside.
Step 6 –In a food processor, add the avocado, lime juice, sour cream, garlic, cilantro, tomatillo, avocado oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and blend until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy with chunks remaining.
Step 7 –In a large salad serving bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red onion, jicama, shredded cheese, and the cooked chicken.
Step 8 –Drizzle the avocado dressing into the salad and toss until everything is well-coated.
Step 9 –Top with the tortilla strips and serve!