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This flavor-rich, Southwest Chicken Salad Board is a light but filling lunch or dinner! You will only need 20 minutes and a handful of pantry staples to prepare this wholesome recipe!
If you’re looking for a dinner that saves time and utilizes ingredients you already have on hand, then you will want to add this Southwest chicken salad recipe to your rotation! This is a great recipe to make use of leftover chicken and add a few pantry staples to create a healthy meal full of protein and vegetables.
This is also a great meal prep recipe. In addition to using any chicken you already have on hand, you can combine most of the ingredients the day before saving you even more time on a busy weeknight.
It is great for busy weeknights but this is also one of our favorites to serve at parties. The vibrant colors and variety of ingredients create an impressive presentation despite the lack of time needed to prepare it!
If you’re looking for more healthy lunch or dinner recipes try this air fryer lemon pepper chicken, blackened shrimp tacos, or Thai chicken lettuce wraps.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Healthy. This is a well-rounded salad full of lean protein and vegetables.
- Easy. You need less than 20 minutes to have this salad ready to serve! It’s also easy to let everyone customize their own salads to fit their taste.
- Meal prep. This is a great recipe to make use of any leftover chicken and you can save even more time by prepping most of the ingredients up to a day ahead of time.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what you’ll need for this easy chicken salad recipe. Find exact measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Chicken: Cooked, chopped or shredded chicken will work. Leftover or rotisserie chicken works great!
- Salsa: Use your personal favorite salsa. We also love this homemade version.
- Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt will also work.
- Ranch dressing: You can choose your personal favorite brand or switch it up with a different creamy dressing. Low sodium and sugar free options are available if following a specific diet.
- Crumbled cotija cheese: This is delicious, crumbly Mexican cheese. If you have trouble finding it at your local store then substitute with queso fresco or feta cheese.
- Tortilla strips: Use your favorite brand of tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips. Choose a low carb version if following a low carb diet.
- Produce: romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes), limes, avocado
How to Make a Southwest Chicken Salad Board
This southwestern salad recipe comes together quickly, and all you will need is a knife, cutting board, and a cutting board with edges for serving. Here is a step-by-step guide for this healthy salad.
- Add bowls of chicken, salsa, sour cream, ranch dressing, cotija cheese, and tortilla strips to a large serving board, leaving room between each bowl.
- Sprinkle the chopped lettuce all around the board evenly.
- Place the cherry tomatoes, avocado, and limes on the lettuce.
- Add spoons and serving utensils, then serve!
Serve
This Southwestern Chicken Salad is a well-rounded and light yet filling meal all on its own. However, if you would like to serve this with additional sides, here are some of our suggestions.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
You can put together the cutting board with the salad ingredients up to a day prior to serving and store in the fridge in an airtight container, but the salad is best prepared fresh. If you do prep ahead of time, we recommend waiting to slice the avocado and lime until you’re ready to serve. Leftovers make great packed lunches, just remember to keep wet ingredients away from your lettuce!
Southwestern Chicken Salad FAQ
Yes, this recipe is gluten free when prepared as described. If you leave out the chips and make sure your ranch dressing has no added sugars, you can make it low-carb and keto-friendly.
You can put this together about a day ahead of time, but I would wait to slice the avocado and limes until ready to serve, to keep those fresh.
Absolutely! This is a great recipe to add or subtract ingredients based on your personal preferences. Some of our personal favorite additions would be black beans, corn, red onions, chilis, or bell peppers. Don’t overlook the option of switching for another protein such as pulled pork or thinly sliced steak. If you don’t like lime juice, swap for lemon wedges instead.
You can use any cooked chicken in this recipe! If you have boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs to keep it super juicy), toss in homemade taco seasoning and cook in the air fryer for a quick and simple option.
Other Healthy Salad Recipes
- Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad– Fresh cabbage, carrots and bell pepper, all topped with a creamy peanut dressing! This easy recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken or veggies and is perfect for meal prep!
- Steak Salad– A healthy, filling steak salad that works great as a main dish for lunch or dinner. This recipe makes it easy to stick to your diet with simple step-by-step instructions and can even be prepared ahead of time!
- Cranberry Apple Kale Salad– The ultimate Fall salad! Packed with crisp apples, sweet dried cranberries and salty nuts this is the perfect healthy salad recipe!
- Asparagus and Tomato Panzanella Salad– This comes together with just a few simple ingredients! It’s a healthy and delicious salad you will love all summer long!
Southwest Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- ½ cup salsa
- ½ cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup tortilla strips or crushed low-carb tortilla chips
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 limes, sliced into wedges
- 2 large avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Add bowls of chicken, salsa, sour cream, ranch dressing, cotija cheese, and tortilla strips to a large serving board, leaving room between each bowl.
- Sprinkle the chopped lettuce all around the board evenly.
- Place the cherry tomatoes, avocado, and limes on the lettuce.
- Add spoons and serving utensils, then serve!
Notes
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You’ll need a serving board with edges to keep the lettuce contained.
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This recipe will serve 4 larger salads or 6 smaller side salads. Keep that in mind when thinking about hosting and the other food you’ll be serving.
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I used storebought avocado ranch dressing but you could use regular ranch, cilantro ranch, or spicy ranch, too!
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You can put this together about a day ahead of time, but I would wait to slice the avocado and limes until ready to serve, to keep those fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
