Southwest Chicken Salad is an hearty, healthy salad that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you satisfied for hours! Starring seasoned chicken a bright cilantro lime dressing, this southwest salad is packed with incredible flavor and rather easy to make.

Ingredients for Southwest Chicken Salad Spread out onto white serving platter next to chips

This Southwestern Chicken Salad, along with Buffalo Chicken Salad, BBQ Chicken Salad, and Caribbean Chicken Salad, are some of my all-time favorite dinner salads to enjoy when the temperatures rise and I am looking for a meal that is fully of flavor and will keep me satisfied for hours, without leaving me in a food coma.

And if you are looking for a flavor-packed, nutrient-dense, insanely flavorful salad yourself, look no further than this recipe for Southwest Chicken Salad.

Why You Will Love Southwest Chicken Salad

Copycat Recipe Made Better. This recipe is my version of a restaurant-style Southwest Salad. But this recipe is lighter, tastier, and made with much fresher ingredients.
Simple Recipe With Bold Flavors. This recipe is not at all complicated to make, but the flavors marry together so perfectly to leave your taste buds thrilled and satisfied.
Nutrient-Dense. This salad features lean protein, tons of fresh produce, and heart-healthy fat from the avocado, packing in tons of vitamins and minerals.
Customizable. Just like Taco Salad, you can omit or swap out ingredients to in this Southwest Chicken Salad to make it fit your dietary needs, restrictions, and taste buds.

Ingredients for Southwest Salad

Don't be intimidated by the amount of ingredients in this photo! Most are pantry staples you likely have on hand and will help to create the Cilantro Lime Dressing and season the chicken.

Ingredients for Southwestern Chicken Salad on counter.

Chicken: Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, for a hearty, yet lean, protein.
- Seasoning for Chicken: This recipe keeps it simple! Simply season your chicken with Taco Seasoning, Adobo Seasoning, or Fajita Seasoning to create flavorful chicken perfect for this salad.
Cilantro Lime Dressing: This bright and fresh dressing is absolutely incredible and the perfect topping for this Southwestern Salad.
- Limes: Use both the juice and zest of fresh limes for the maximum flavor.
- Oil: I prefer using extra virgin olive oil for this dressing. Avocado oil is a suitable substitute.
- Cilantro: The star in this dressing is the fresh, herbaceous cilantro.
- Garlic: I love the flavor garlic adds, but feel free to omit if you don't care for garlic.
- Jalapeno: Adding in half of a deseeded jalapeno adds a bit of a kick and complexity to the dressing. If you are sensitive to spice, leave it out.
- Honey: Just a tiny bit of honey helps to balance out and enhance the flavors in this dressing and makes you want to keep coming back for more.
Greens: I like the crisp, freshness of romaine hearts for this salad, but you can use iceberg or mixed greens for the base of this salad.
Beans: I love adding in canned, rinsed black beans for additional protein, along with fiber. Feel free to use pinto beans in place of the black beans or omit the beans altogether.
Corn: Use drained, canned corn or leftover Corn Salsa or grilled corn cut off the cob.
Avocado: Diced, ripe avocado adds a healthy fats and a rich, creaminess to the salad.
Cheese: If you are not dairy-free, shredded cheddar or Colby cheese or crumbled feta or queso fresco are all great additions to this Tex-Mex Salad.
Tortilla Chips: Finishing this salad with tortilla chips is optional, but they do a add a nice crunch factor.

Note from Kristen

One of the many things I love about this salad is that you change up the ingredients based on your preference and dietary needs. Use this recipe as a starting point to create a Southwest Salad that is perfect for YOU!

How to Make Southwest Salad with Chicken

Step One: Prepare Chicken. Season the chicken evenly with the seasoning of your choice. Once seasoned, you can opt to grill, bake or broil the chicken. I have provided directions for all methods in the recipe card.

Seasoned Chicken on grill pan after being grilled.

Step Two: Prepare Cilantro Lime Dressing. This dressing is best prepared in a small blender or food processor to help break down the garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno.

Small blender with cilantrol lime dressing.

Step Three: Assemble Southwest Salad. Just like most salads, it is best to assemble immediately before serving. You can opt to toss everything together, or assemble as a cobb salad for a stunning presentation.

Southwestern Chicken Salad arranged on white platter

Recipe Modifications for Southwest Salad

Vegetarian Option: Make this Southwest Salad meatless, by doubling the beans and omitting the chicken.
Dairy-Free: Omit the cheese for a Dairy-Free Chicken Salad, that is still filled with insane flavor!
Swap out the Cilantro Lime Dressing for a Salsa Ranch Dressing. If you don't care for cilantro, or are looking for a creamy dressing, combine ranch dressing and add 1-2 teaspoons of taco seasoning and a a tablespoon or two of salsa for a flavorful Tex-Mex Ranch Dressing.

More Delicious Dinner Salad Recipes

Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

If you tried this Southwest Chicken Salad, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.