Description
This spicy southwest salad is what dreams are made of! With an easy spicy ranch dressing and avocado, it’ll be your new go-to salad at home!
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 chicken breasts
Spicy Ranch Dressing:
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 2–3 tbsp hot sauce of choice (e.g. Chipotle Cholula)
For the Salad:
- 1 head green leaf lettuce, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 avocado, sliced
- 1 cup corn
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips
- Cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
1. In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine lime juice and zest, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, honey, and avocado oil. Add chicken breasts and coat well. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours.
2. Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium. Grill chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until fully cooked. Set aside to cool, then slice into thin strips.
3. In a small bowl, mix together ranch dressing and hot sauce until fully combined to create the spicy ranch dressing.
4. Chop lettuce and prepare all vegetables. Drain and rinse black beans. Slice avocado, bell pepper, and red onion.
5. Assemble salads by layering lettuce, sliced grilled chicken, tomatoes, black beans, bell pepper, avocado, corn, red onion, and tortilla strips.
6. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Drizzle with spicy ranch dressing before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Marinate chicken overnight for best flavor.
Adjust hot sauce quantity to your spice preference.
Grill chicken outdoors or use a stovetop grill pan for convenience.
For meal prep, store dressing and tortilla strips separately and add just before eating.
Try adding shredded cheese or jalapeños for even more flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad
- Calories: 529
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 791mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 14g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg