Southwest Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing

This southwest chicken salad is the perfect blend of smoky, citrusy, and spicy flavors. It’s made with grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, and plenty of fresh summer vegetables, including grilled sweet corn. The salad is topped with a delicious jalapeño, cilantro, lime dressing, and optional chili lime pepitas for some crunch! 

With so many amazing flavors and textures, this southwest chicken salad recipe is as satisfying as it is delicious. And even though there are quite a few ingredients, it’s super easy to make.

The star of the show is the spicy lime and cilantro dressing! We use this as a marinade for the chicken, to baste the corn while it grills, and to dress the assembled salad. 

When it comes to the salad itself, Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers add freshness, while avocado and manchego cheese add a creamy texture. The toasted chili lime pepitas are optional. However, if you love a crunchy topping, we definitely recommend including them!    

If you’re looking for more satisfying and fresh summer salads, check out our Melon and Prosciutto Salad or this Cobb Salad with Mushroom Bacon.

Jump to:

• Southwest Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing Ingredients
• For the chili lime pepitas
• How to Make this Southwest Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing Recipe
• Substitutions and Variations
• Storage
• Tips and FAQ
• Top tip
• More salad recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Southwest Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing Ingredients

For the salad

• Chicken breast: we used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they easily absorb the marinade flavors and become even more juicy and delicious after they're grilled. They're a lean animal-based protein source, but you can use extra-firm tofu to keep this southwest chicken salad recipe vegetarian if needed. 
• Romaine lettuce: Romaine lettuce forms the base of the salad, and we love it for its crisp, fresh texture. However, you can replace it with a salad green of your choice, like spinach or green leaf lettuce.  
• Cherry tomatoes: nothing beats their super sweet flavor and juicy bite! 
• Bell peppers: you can use yellow, orange, or red bell peppers or a combination of all three. 
• Corn: some grocery stores sell ready-to-cook corn on the cob with the husk removed. If you can’t find this option, look for corn with a bright green husk that feels slightly damp. Keep in mind that you’ll need to remove the husk before grilling.
• Onion: we’ve tested this recipe using chopped green onion and thinly sliced red onion. Both options are delicious and add a strong, sharp taste.
• Avocado: for creamy texture!
• Manchego cheese: manchego cheese is a slightly tangy, nutty, cheese made from sheep’s milk. You can use Mexican-style or cheddar cheese if you can't find manchego. 

For the dressing and marinade

• Avocado or olive oil: oil forms the base of the salad dressing, making it a key ingredient. We’ve tested the dressing using avocado oil and olive oil. Since both options have a mild, neutral flavor, they both work great. Use whichever oil you have on hand. 
• Lime juice: lime juice adds tangy, citrusy flavors and an acid component to the marinade. It’ll help to tenderize the chicken breast and balance out the sweetness from the honey. 
• Lime zest: carefully zest your lime using a microplane grater, avoiding the bitter white pith beneath the peel. Lime zest adds a stronger, more intense lime flavor to the marinade.
• Jalapeño: fresh jalapeño adds spicy heat. For a milder option, remove the seeds and ribs. This is where most of the heat is concentrated! 
• Cilantro: fresh cilantro is essential for authentic Southwest flavors. However, if you really can’t stand it, flat-leaf parsley is the best substitute. 
• Agave or honey: to sweeten the dressing and balance the tangy flavors. 
• Kosher salt: use fine kosher salt, not table salt. If you only have table salt on hand, start with half the amount called for, and adjust to taste.  
• Spices: we used chili powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, and ground cumin for a smokey flavor and a touch of heat. 

For the chili lime pepitas

• Olive or avocado oil: a light coating of oil on the skillet gives the toasted pepitas a golden-brown color and prevents them from sticking to the pan. 
• Pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds): we used raw, unsalted pepitas so that we could toast and season them ourselves. Otherwise, if they’re not raw, they’re likely to be toasted in an unhealthy oil and oversalted.  
• Lime juice: adds freshness and tang to the pepitas. We wouldn’t recommend skipping it!
• Chili powder: for smokey flavor and spice. 
• Salt: use kosher salt to ensure an accurate salt measurement.  

How to Make this Southwest Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing Recipe

STEP 1: Make the marinade/dressing. Whisk all of the marinade/dressing ingredients together. Divide the dressing in half, so you have ½ cup for the chicken, and the remaining half reserved for the corn and salad dressing. 

STEP 2: Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken in a reusable silicone bag, gallon-sized plastic bag, or medium-sized container with a lid. Pour the ½ cup of marinade over the chicken, and marinate for at least 1 hour. We prefer to marinate the chicken for 4-8 hours! To ensure the breasts marinate evenly, give them a good stir or flip them over every hour or so.

STEP 3: Preheat the grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high, and oil the grates.

STEP 4: Prep the salad ingredients. Wash, chop, and dry the lettuce. Then, add it to a large bowl. Prepare the tomatoes, peppers, onion, cheese, and radishes (if adding). Place them in the bowl with the lettuce, and set aside while grilling the chicken and corn. 

STEP 5: Grill the chicken. Place the marinated chicken on the preheated grill. Cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side or until the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. 

Halfway through grilling, baste both sides of the chicken with some of the remaining marinade. Make sure to discard any leftover chicken marinade.

STEP 6: Grill the corn. Add the corn to the grill halfway through cooking the chicken. Brush all sides of the corn with about 1 tablespoon of the cilantro lime dressing mixture. Turn it every few minutes, and cook for about 10 minutes total. 

STEP 7: Slice the chicken and corn. Remove the chicken and corn from the grill, and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes. Then, slice the chicken, and cut the corn off the cob.

STEP 8: Assemble your southwest chicken salad. Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl, and toss with the remaining dressing.

STEP 9: Optional: Make the chili lime pepitas. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the pepitas, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add in the chili powder and salt, and stir to coat. Add in the lime juice, stir well, and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. 
Remove the pan from the heat, and set the pepitas aside to cool before sprinkling them on your salad.

Substitutions and Variations

• Vegetarian: You can leave out the chicken, or replace it with extra-firm tofu. Extra-firm tofu contains less moisture than other varieties, but you should still press it well to remove as much moisture as possible. This will help you achieve an extra crispy texture when cooking.  
• Vegan: Use tofu instead of chicken breast, agave instead of honey, and leave out the cheese.   
• Chicken: You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Just make sure to adjust your cooking time. Since boneless thighs are thinner than breasts, they usually cook more quickly.  
• Feel free to substitute any of the vegetables for your favorites! 

Storage

For a longer storage time, store the salad, dressing, and grilled chicken in separate airtight containers. The salad will stay fresh for 1-2 days. The dressing will last for up to a week, and the chicken will keep for up to 3-4 days.

Tips and FAQ

More tips

• Romaine lettuce can retain a lot of excess moisture. We recommend using a salad spinner to dry it thoroughly. 
• We prefer to let the chicken marinate for 4-8 hours, so it has a chance to fully absorb the flavors of the marinade. Get it started earlier in the day if you can! 
• If raw onion and jalapeño have too much “bite” for you, just give them a rinse under cold water for about a minute before adding them to the southwest chicken salad and marinade. This will help tone down the heat.

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