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Southwestern Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Southwestern chicken salad with creamy cilantro lime dressing is full of flavor and tastes better than any restaurant version you could buy! It's easy to make, absolutely delicious, and perfect to feed the entire family!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Marinating time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 532 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
  • 2 red peppers cut into strips
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • ½ red cabbage shredded
  • 1 cup tortilla strips
  • ¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese
  • 1 avocado cut into slices
For the Chicken
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • salt
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 Tbs lime juice
  • 2 Tbs water
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
For the Dressing
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove smashed
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 TBS lime juice
  • 1 TBS white vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Marinade the Chicken
    Cup of Yum
  1. Pat dry chicken breasts and salt both sides.
  2. Put the remaining chicken ingredients into a large ziplock bag, then mix until combined.
  3. Add chicken to the marinade, remove as much air as possible, then place in the fridge to marinade for at least thirty minutes. Prep this step the night before and leave it to marinade overnight for the most flavor.
Make the Dressing
  1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender.
  2. Blend on low speed until cilantro has been finely shredded.
  3. Move to an airtight container and place the dressing in the fridge until ready to serve.
Make the Salad
  1. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill until it is no longer pink in the middle or reaches 165 F on a meat thermometer. This can be done on a regular grill or a grill pan.
  2. Once cooked, chop roughly into strips.
  3. While chicken is grilling, cut red peppers, red cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado.
  4. Toss vegetables and chicken in a large serving bowl and mix until combined, taking care not to smash the avocado.
  5. Top with feta cheese, tortilla strips, and pre-made salad dressing as desired then serve.

Notes

  • Feel free to add more or less of any of the salad ingredients depending on your taste preferences. Some other toppings that go well with this include black beans, caramelized corn, and fresh cilantro. 
  • If you are serving a large group, consider leaving the dressing, cheese, and tortilla strips on the side and allow people to top their salads. 
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container and eat within a week or before the lettuce gets soggy. Undressed salad stores better, so consider allowing people to dress their salads individually. Also, keep tortilla strips on the side so they don't get soggy when placed in the fridge. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 532kcal (27%) Carbohydrates 38g (13%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 35g (54%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Cholesterol 45mg (15%) Sodium 584mg (24%) Potassium 1676mg (48%) Fiber 13g (52%) Sugar 16g (32%) Vitamin A 18935IU (379%) Vitamin C 220mg (244%) Calcium 237mg (24%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 532

% Daily Value*

Calories 532kcal 27%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Protein 23g 46%
Fat 35g 54%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 584mg 24%
Potassium 1676mg 36%
Fiber 13g 52%
Sugar 16g 32%
Vitamin A 18935IU 379%
Vitamin C 220mg 244%
Calcium 237mg 24%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.