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Southwest Salad Recipe
Served with a rich cilantro dressing, the Southwest Salad is a filling combination of tasty grilled chicken, avocado, cheese, corn, and beans. It takes 30 minutes or less to complete and has that rich Mexican vibe! Just ideal for a quick dinner!
Grilled chicken southwest salad
McDonald’s Southwest Salad is a well-known dish, but this recipe is all about recreating it at home! I love making a big batch of this and feeding it to the entire family.
I thought of this meal as soon as we decided to have a BBQ this weekend. With its many colors, this dish looks delicious. Also, it is flavored to the brim!
Despite the fact that I adore McDonald’s version of this, I much prefer the chicken I grill myself. The grilled chicken has a nice smokiness to it, and the creamy cilantro sauce with lime and honey complements it perfectly.
With this festive recipe from your kitchen, you can liven up any meal!
What goes into southwest salad?
Grilled chicken and romaine lettuce are the primary components in this meal that you won’t really miss. You also have cheddar cheese, black beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado, and cilantro.
Lime, smoked paprika, taco seasoning, olive oil, and salt are used to season the chicken. The lime also connects everything.
Cilantro is also a component of the creamy dressing, which consists of Greek yogurt, mayo, lime juice, honey or maple syrup for sweetness, salt, and additional cilantro.
Add a Dessert: Strawberry Crisp
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 lime (zested and juiced)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Salad:
- 2 cups romaine lettuce (chopped)
- 1 ripe avocado (sliced)
- 8 small cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 1/2 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1/2 cup corn (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (for topping)
Creamy Cilantro Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup cilantro (packed)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Garnish:
- Chopped green onions.
- Cilantro
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken:
- In a medium ziplock bag, add the chicken breasts, taco seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, lime juice, lime zest, and olive oil. Close and shake well to fully coat the chicken into the mixture.
- Allow marinating for 10 minutes or up to 1-2 days in advance.
Cook the Chicken:
- Place a cast-iron grill skillet over medium-high heat and once its hot brush it with about 1 teaspoon of oil
- Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, depends how thick the chicken is.
- You can also cook the chicken on a gas grill. Turn on the grill to medium-high, clean the grates, and grill the chicken on both sides for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Allow chicken to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing it.
Creamy Cilantro Dressing:
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor and pulse to combine until smooth.
Assemble:
- Place the chopped romaine lettuce on the bottom of a salad plate or bowl.
- Top with avocado, chopped tomatoes, black beans, corn, cilantro, cheddar cheese, and sliced chicken.
- Drizzle the dressing on top just before serving.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped green onions.
