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–+ servings
Southwest Salad

Southwest Salad with Chicken and Taco-Ranch Dressing

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
A refreshing salad that can be made for a meal prep lunch or dinner salad. Option to make homemade taco seasoning to marinate the chicken in.
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Ingredients

For the Homemade Taco Seasoning: (optional - if not using, then sub for store-bought taco seasoning)

  • 3 teaspoon oregano
  • 3 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika *You can use smoked paprika for a smoky flavor
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Taco-Ranch Dressing:

  • 12 oz. ranch dressing I use the refrigerated Marzetti Simply Dressing
  • 2 tablespoon taco seasoning

For the Southwest Salad:

  • 3 heads romaine lettuce washed, dried, and chopped
  • 3 chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 can organic corn kernels drained
  • 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 3 green onions chopped (only the green parts)
  • 1 bunch cilantro chopped
  • 16 oz. Mexican-blend cheese
  • 10 oz. organic yellow or blue corn tortilla chips crushed
  • 15-20 drops Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
  • lime wedges squeezed for their juice

Instructions

For the Homemade Taco Seasoning Blend:

  • Add all ingredients to a bowl. Stir until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • Chop raw chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large gallon bag. Add in 2-3 tbsp. of oil, ⅔rd of the taco seasoning blend, and 15-20 drops of chipotle Tabasco sauce. Close up the bag and massage the chicken/flip the bag around until the seasonings fully coat every piece of chicken. Place bag in fridge and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes to one hour. Tip: You can do this step the night before for extra flavor, and to save time the next morning.

To Cook the Chicken:

  • Once the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat a large oven-safe grill pan, cast iron skillet, or frying pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add in butter and allow to melt. Then, add in the chicken, spacing it around the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until browned. Then, use a spatula to toss as much of the chicken onto its other side as possible. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until chicken is completely cooked through and has an internal temperature of 165 F, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely before adding it to the salad.

For the Taco-Ranch Dressing:

  • Simply add 1 ½ cups of ranch dressing to a glass mason jar. Add in 2 tbsps. of taco seasoning. Screw the lid on the jar, then shake until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to be used.

For the Southwest Salad:

  • Wash all vegetables, then set aside on a towel to dry. *I like to use a salad spinner for my lettuce. Chop romaine, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Slice the lime into sections.
  • To assemble the salad: Lay a bed of romaine lettuce on a large dinner plate or bowl. In sections, add chicken, black beans, corn, cheese, bell pepper, tomatoes, and crushed tortilla chips. Sprinkle over green onion and cilantro. Place lime on edge of the plate, or squeeze overtop of the salad. Drizzle over Taco-Ranch dressing.
  • Enjoy!
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