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–+ servings
Southwest chicken salad in a violet bowl.
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Southwest Chicken Salad

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 2 generous servings
Author: Aleksandra

Ingredients

for the chicken:

  • 2 large chicken breasts 1 lb (450g)
  • 2 tablespoons frying oil
  • 2 tablespoons homemade Fajita seasoning or 1.5 ts chili powder, 1 ts garlic powder, 1 ts paprika, 1 ts oregano, 3/4 ts cumin, 3/4 ts onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

for the salad:

  • 1 head baby romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 (14-oz/400ml) can kidney beans, or black beans
  • 1/2 (14-oz/400ml) can corn
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 avocado

for the dressing:

  • 1/2 avocado
  • a handful of cilantro 20g
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 cup yogurt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the dressing:

  • Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a food processor or blender.
  • Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Make the salad:

  • Combine 1 tablespoon of oil with spices. Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch (2.5cm) strips. Toss the chicken with the spices and oil until coated on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan. When hot, add the chicken strips in a single layer. Cook over high heat for about 1-2 minutes or until browned (don't stir the chicken). Turn on the other side and cook, stirring from time to time, until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
  • Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Cut avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh using a spoon. Cut one half of the avocado into slices, reserve the other half for the dressing. Drain the corn and beans. Rinse the beans with water.
  • Assemble the salad: place all the ingredients for the salad in a shallow bowl (divide them between two bowls): cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, lettuce, beans, and corn. Pour the dressing over the salad.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • This salad is great to make ahead! Just prepare all the ingredients and store them separately from the dressing. Pour the dressing over just before serving. You can store the chicken, dressing, and veggies for about 2 days in the fridge (for the best flavor). You can reheat the chicken in the pan. This salad also tastes good cold so it's perfect for work lunch!
  • Whole batch of homemade Fajita seasoning: 2 Tbsp chili powder (this is a spice mix not pure ground chili peppers), 1 Tbsp of each: cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika.   
  • Calories = 1 serving (1/2 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!

Nutrition

Calories: 897kcal