Southwest chicken salad is a bold twist on classic chicken salad, made with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, peppers, and a creamy, smoky dressing. Serve it in a wrap, over greens, or with tortilla chips.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds, pepitas
For the dressing:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, black beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro. Set the avocado, lime juice, and pepitas aside for later.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Jut before serving, toss the diced avocado with the lime juice. Gently stir the avocado and pumpkin seeds into the chilled salad and enjoy.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.
Make-ahead: Make the salad ahead, but add the pepitas and avocado just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 881mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1182IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg
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