Southwest Chicken Salad Spring
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I promised salads this week after that Death by Chocolate Trifle the other day, so here you go. This is my Southwest Chicken Salad Spring version that was a guest post over at thisgalcooks a few months ago. I know, I should have made you a new salad. But this week is all about bringing recipes home and getting things organized…..
Besides, my Southwest Chicken Salad Summer version was a huge hit! The Spring version features chopped avocado and a Creamy Guacamole Ranch Dressing, dairy-free of course. I think you have probably already figured out that Ranch Dressing is my absolute favorite dressing! My dairy-free ranch dressing is absolutely perfect, and one of my most re-pinned recipes! Turning it into guacamole ranch, is so simple…and so delicious…..
I may have named it the spring version, but it is perfect during the summer months as well. Here is the Black Bean Salsa with the spring avocados…..
I actually used this same salsa for a completely different meal tonight, that I will share with you in the near future 😉
As for organization, well we all need some organization in our lives. I have realized that my salad dressing recipes can only be found through a salad post. I think I may re-post all of them as individual posts so they stand alone and are easier to find.
How to make a Southwest Chicken Salad for Spring:
For the Salsa:
Place the corn, beans, bell pepper, onions, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Add the cubed avocado, and gently stir.* Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Dressing:
Mix the ranch dressing, guacamole and cumin together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble the Salad:
Place the lettuce, cilantro, and green onions in a large bowl or on a large serving platter. Stir to combine.
Sprinkle the chicken over the lettuce, and the salsa over the chicken.
Serve with Guacamole Ranch Dressing…..
Notes:
It is best to make the salsa at least one hour before before serving, so the flavors have time to mingle and get happy. I wait to add the avocado until right before serving, but feel free to add whenever it works best for you.
Some additional Southwest Salad recipes for you to try:
- Southwest Chicken Salad Summer – with mangoes and Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Southwest Chicken Salad Fall – with roasted corn and sweet potatoes and Chipotle Ranch Dressing
- Southwest Chicken Salad Winter – with pomegranate seeds and Orange Cilantro Dressing
- Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad – with cheddar cheese chunks, broken tortilla chips and Ranch Dressing
Enjoy!!
Southwest Chicken Salad Spring
Ingredients
Salsa
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 can organic corn (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can organic black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 large avocado (cubed)
- 3 green onions (sliced)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Dressing
- 1 cup ranch dressing (my dairy-free version)
- 2 ounces guacamole (I used 1 individual package of Wholly Guacamole)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
To assemble to Salad
- 1 bag leaf lettuce (I used European Blend)
- 1 bag spring mix (I used Baby Garden Blend)
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used rotisserie)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
Instructions
Salsa
- Place the corn, beans, bell pepper, onions, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Add the cubed avocado, and gently stir.* Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Dressing
- Mix the ranch dressing, guacamole and cumin together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble the Salad
- Place the lettuce, cilantro, and green onions in a large bowl or on a large serving platter. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the chicken over the lettuce, then sprinkle the salsa over the chicken.
- Serve with Guacamole Ranch Dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
Yummmm. I pretty much always get the southwest chicken salad if I see it on a menu!
Love a good southwest salad!! That dressing sounds FABULOUS.
So– totally unrelated: I follow your blog via bloglovin and can’t pin any of your images while inside their interface!! I can’t use their button or my own bookmarklet annnd well.. I pretty much wanna pin all your recipes. So. I’m sure it’s just a coding thing but I thought I’d give you a heads up! Your food always look so yummy and needs to be shared! 🙂
This is something I could totally eat year round, Lisa!
You are just amazing! I love everything about this salad…all of the combinations! I’m seriously salavating over here!
Holy Guacamole Ranch Dressing? To an avocado addict, that is music to my ears…Pinned and planning when I’ll make this.
Dear Lisa, I love dishes like this! This is right up my alley…homemade salsa is just a always wonderful to have on hand. In the summer, salad meals are a must. Sounds delicious and looks beautiful. Blessings, Catherine xo
Yum! Looks fresh and I love avocados so much anyway! I had no trouble pinning from the PinMarklet app… Pinned and buffered. 🙂
xo
I am loving that Black Bean Salsa! Yum! I love black beans so this is perfect.
This looks delicious, Lisa! I always love these southwest flavors together. I could eat the salsa right out of the bowl with a spoon!
this looks so amazing…I’m pinning this and going to try making it.
I know just what you mean about having great “building-block” recipes embedded within other recipe posts. I recently decided to start showcasing them as standalone posts & its been great for my blog ;). Oh, and that salad looks fabulous!
I love salads, pizza, Mexican, chocolate and lemon. 🙂 Great salad and I loved the dessert too. WOW. I need to try your dairy free dressing.
Saw this at Who Needs a Cape. I love that you’ve made this creamy dressing with avocado rather than mayo. Nice!
Hmm…this looks familiar. I wonder where I’ve seen it before? 😉 Looks good, as always! Pinning and sharing on FB and twitter tomorrow. Thanks for sharing at MM, Lisa!
I cannot wait to try this!
This salad looks SO good! I like a salad to have some oomph to them and this looks like it would fill me up for dinner. Love it!
Your salad recipe looks soooo good – thanks!!
Mmmm, that salad sounds delicious! I wish I had that for lunch!
So when I drop by….like every day…..I would like this first….oh heck, who am I kidding….I’ll take whatever you’re willing to feed me!
Pinning!!!
Hugs,
Mary Beth
I’ve only recently discovered that I really love avocado, really love it. This recipe just jumped out at me. It sounds like a wonderful recipe, with the homemade ranch dressing and everything. I can’t wait to try it.
I have a salad really close to his on my blog except my dressing has some chipotle in it too. Yummy! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #26.
~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
Wow! This looks deee-licious! Deb @ madefrompinterest.net