This Southwest Chopped Salad balances heat, sweetness, crunch and tender vegetables perfectly. Tossed in a creamy chipotle-lime dressing and topped with taco-seasoned chicken, it makes a satisfying entrée salad best served with extra dressing on the side.
Why you’ll love this salad with cilantro dressing
Crisp and crunchy. This chopped salad is built for texture — crisp romaine, crunchy pepitas and tortilla chips, tender cherry tomatoes and creamy avocado. Combined with protein-rich chicken and hearty black beans, it’s filling enough for a main course.
The chipotle-lime dressing steals the show. Fresh vegetables are beautiful, but a vibrant dressing makes a salad craveable. This one delivers a smoky heat, bright lime, a touch of sweetness and a creamy finish using pantry-friendly ingredients. Blend it smooth, thin to your preferred consistency, and serve extra on the side.
Ready-made kit vibes, elevated. If you enjoy prepackaged southwestern salad kits, this is the homemade, larger-scale version: fresher vegetables, bolder dressing and a more generous portion for sharing or meal prep.
Ingredients
The recipe breaks into three components: the chipotle-lime dressing, the seasoned chicken breasts, and the chopped salad. Use the amounts below as a guide and adjust to taste.
Chipotle Dressing
- Chipotle in adobo sauce
- Greek yogurt
- Mayonnaise
- Garlic powder
- Honey
- Fresh lime juice
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Water (to thin)
Chicken Breasts
- Chicken breasts
- Taco seasoning
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
Salad
- Romaine lettuce
- Cucumber
- Red bell pepper
- Jalapeno
- Cilantro
- Cherry tomatoes
- Black beans
- Corn
- Roasted pepitas
- Cotija cheese (or queso blanco/feta)
- Tortilla chips
- Avocado
- Limes
Ingredient substitutions and notes
- Use your favorite taco seasoning — store-bought or homemade.
- Swap romaine for green or red leaf lettuce if you prefer a softer leaf.
- Pinto beans work well as an alternative to black beans.
- If you dislike cilantro, omit it or substitute parsley.
- Use canned, thawed frozen, or fresh corn depending on seasonality and preference.
- If cotija isn’t available, queso blanco or feta are good substitutes.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements and cooking times.
How to make
Plan to prepare the dressing first, then roast the chicken while you chop the vegetables so everything finishes together.
- Make the dressing: In a food processor, blend chipotles in adobo, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic powder, honey, lime juice, olive oil and salt until smooth. Add water one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Chill until ready to serve.
- Bake the chicken: Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub chicken breasts with taco seasoning, a squeeze of lime and olive oil. Place on a lined baking sheet and roast 15–20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest before slicing.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine finely chopped romaine, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, finely diced jalapeno (seeds removed for less heat), chopped cilantro, halved cherry tomatoes, rinsed black beans, drained corn, roasted pepitas, cotija and half the crushed tortilla chips. Toss with about ½ cup dressing, adding more if desired.
- Finish and serve: Top individual bowls with sliced or diced chicken, remaining crushed chips, sliced avocado, extra cilantro and lime wedges. Serve extra dressing on the side.
Serving suggestions
- Dressing: This recipe makes enough to toss the salad and have extra for drizzling.
- Toppings: Add sliced avocado, extra cilantro and lime wedges. Keep plenty of crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
- Occasions: Suitable for lunch or dinner, and great for picnics, parties or potlucks.
Meal prep and storage instructions
Store dressing, cooked chicken and chopped salad ingredients separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Toss everything together just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
Recipe tips
- Adjust dressing consistency: Add water slowly, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the thickness you prefer.
- Control spice level: Remove jalapeno seeds for milder heat, or add more honey to the dressing to mellow it.
Looking for more salad recipes? Check these out!
- Spring Cobb Salad
- Bacon Caesar Pasta Salad
- Chipotle BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
- Coleslaw BBQ Chicken Salad
If you make this Southwest Chopped Salad, tag the recipe creator on social media — they love seeing your photos and recreations.
Southwest Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1–2 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 4 tbsp water (adjust to thin)
Chicken Breasts:
- 2–3 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Juice from ½ lime
Salad:
- 8 cups finely chopped romaine (about 1 large head)
- ½ cucumber, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno, finely diced (remove seeds for less spice)
- Handful cilantro, chopped (+ extra for garnish)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup roasted pepitas
- ⅓ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 cup crumbled tortilla chips
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Limes for garnish
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Blend chipotles, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic powder, honey, lime juice, olive oil and salt until smooth. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to thin. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Bake the chicken: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat chicken with taco seasoning, lime juice and olive oil. Roast 15–20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest, then slice.
- Assemble the salad: Combine romaine, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, pepitas, cotija and half the tortilla chips in a large bowl. Toss with about ½ cup dressing, adding more to taste.
- Finish: Top with sliced chicken, remaining crushed chips, sliced avocado, extra cilantro and lime wedges. Serve remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 57 g |
Protein: 43 g |
Fat: 41 g
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimations calculated with a third-party tool.
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