Southwest Blackened Chicken Salad
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Southwest Blackened Chicken Salad is the perfect dish if you’re looking to heat up your dinner routine with something spicy and flavorful! It’s easy to make and packed with zesty Southwestern ingredients like garlic, chili powder, avocado, and cilantro. Plus, you can have a delicious restaurant-style meal on the table in just 25 minutes.
Southwest Blackened Chicken Salad
This article will provide you with all the steps to make this mouthwatering dish, from prepping the ingredients to creating the blackened chicken blend. With our detailed instructions, you’ll be able to recreate this flavorful chicken dish time and time again. As well, you’ll be amazed at how quick and easy it is to prepare. Let’s get started!
Ingredients for your blackened chicken salad
The full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post. You can save a tree and the recipe to your personal and private recipe box here on Call Me PMc. This way, you’ll never misplace it.
Avocado Lime Dressing
- avocado
- Virgin olive oil
- Greek yogurt
- Garlic
- Lime
- Kosher salt
- Water
Chicken Rub
- Chicken cutlets or 1 large breast
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Canola oil, divided
- Unsalted
butter
Southwest Chicken Salad
- Lettuce, chopped
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Black beans, canned is perfect
- Charred corn (Skillet Corn Recipe)
- Small red onion, thinly sliced
- Avocado, sliced
Other Topping Ideas
- Crumbled Cotija Cheese
- Tortilla Chips Strips
- Fresh cilantro
Method and Notes
Blackened Chicken
First, you’ll need to start by seasoning your chicken with a mix of seasonings. (Get creative with seasoning and make it your own!) Once your chicken is seasoned to your liking, heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat, adding the chicken once the oil is hot. Cook the chicken until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and let it rest before cutting it into slices.
Alternatively, you grill chicken for this recipe or use leftover grilled chicken.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken cutlets that are thinner and easier to cook properly.
- If you aren’t able to locate chicken cutlets, cut a thicker chicken breast in half through the middle, horizontally, so you have 2 thinner pieces of chicken.
Avocado Lime Dressing
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Use water to thin as needed to achieve pourable consistency. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- If you don’t have a food processor, a blender works to mix the dressing ingredients.
- You may substitute sour cream if you prefer in place of the Greek yogurt.
Charred Corn
It will take you just a few minutes to char corn in a skillet on the stove. You simply add it to the pan, cook, and stir occasionally.
- Cut fresh corn right off the cob for best results. If fresh corn isn’t available, I recommend using frozen corn. You can add the frozen corn right to the skillet to char. No need to thaw.
- I recommend using a cast iron skillet. If using stainless steel, be sure to add a little oil to the skillet before adding corn.
- Charring the corn is quick and easy and adds so much wonderful flavor!
Black Beans
- Canned black beans work perfectly for this recipe. Be sure to drain the beans and rinse before adding to the salad.
Assemble Southwest Chicken Salad
Use your favorite lettuce chopped to your liking. I recommend mixed greens to have a variety of textures and flavors.
- Add lettuce to a large salad bowl or platter and top with tomatoes, black beans, charred corn, onion, avocado, and sliced chicken. Drizzle with dressing and toss or serve dressing on the side.
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A gorgeous, colorful salad loaded with Southwestern flavors. This easy-to-make salad features healthy greens, blackened chicken, and drizzled with an avocado lime dressing. It’s delicious, easy to make, and full of Southwestern flavors. Whether you’re eating healthy or just want a super tasty, quick recipe, this salad is perfect. Great for a hearty lunch or a satisfying dinner.
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Southwest Blackened Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Avocado Lime Dressing
- 1 medium avocados pitted and insides scopped out
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ to ½ teason garlic clove more to taste
- ½ medium lime juiced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water more, to thin as needed (optional)
Chicken Rub
- 1 pound chicken breasts or 1 large breast, halved horizontally
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Southwest Chicken Salad
- 4 – 6 cups lettuce chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup black beans cooked, canned is great
- 1 cup charred corn Skillet Corn Recipe
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium avocados sliced
Other Salad Topping Ideas
- Crumbled Cotija Cheese ● Tortilla Chips Strips ● Fresh cilantro
Instructions
Avocado Lime Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Use water to thin as needed to achieve a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Blackened Chicken
- In a zip-top bag or bowl, mix together spices for the chicken rub and add 1 Tbsp oil to make a paste. Coat chicken with rub and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 8 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over mid-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes until slightly charred. Turn chicken over and add a Tbsp of butter to the skillet. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes while basting the chicken with the melted butter until the chicken is cooked through to 150 degrees in the thickest part. Remove chicken from skillet and cover loosely until ready to use then slice on the bias.
Charred Corn
- Using the same skillet, add fresh or frozen corn in a single layer. Allow corn to cook for about 5-10 minutes until it starts to pop. Stir corn to char on all sides. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the corn and stir. Set aside until ready to use.
AssembleSouthwest Chicken Salad
- Add lettuce to a large salad bowl or platter and top with tomatoes, black beans, charred corn, onion, avocado, and sliced chicken. Drizzle with dressing and toss or serve dressing on the side.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
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