Southwest Chicken Salad
This creamy shredded Southwest chicken salad is made with rotisserie chicken for ease, plus black beans, bell peppers, charred corn, and more...all tossed in a smoky, tangy dressing. It's perfect for a quick lunch or a party dip!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 540kcal
Ingredients
- 1 shredded rotisserie chicken cold or at room temp
- ¾ cup corn kernels fresh, canned or frozen
- ¾ cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ a red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- ½ cup freshly shredded pepper jack cheese or similar
- 1 ripe avocado sliced for serving at the end
- Color tortilla chips or lettuce cups for serving
Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp smoked paprika not the regular sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 or 2 limes to taste
Instructions
- Char the corn: Heat a few small drizzles of oil in a skillet over high heat, then add the corn (patted dry) and let it char for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Note: If using corn on the cob, you can grill then cut off the kernels.
- Make the dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients until evenly combined. Adjust to taste. Tip: I make the dressing right in the serving bowl for ease, but you can also do that separately in a mixing bowl.
- Assemble: In a large serving bowl, combine the shredded chicken, charred corn, black beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and shredded cheese. Add the dressing and toss to combine until creamy and evenly coated.
- Serve and garnish with avocado slices on top. Serve with tortilla chips (as a dip) or over lettuce cups or wraps. Can also serve as wraps, sandwiches, over cucumber slices, or any way you like!
Video
Notes
- Use cold or room-temperature chicken. Hot chicken melts the dressing, making the salad watery.
- Avocado: Do not mix it into the salad. Add it only as a topper at serving time to prevent browning. That way, your southwest chicken salad will last longer in the fridge.
- Charring corn: Pat the corn completely dry before adding it to the hot skillet so it chars instead of steams. You can also grill corn on the cob and cut off the kernels
- How to shred chicken: Shred by hand for a chicken salad with a rustic-style texture, or use an electric mixer on low for 20 seconds for a fine, scoopable dip consistency. Do not overmush, otherwise it can turn mushy.
- Make Ahead: Make it up to 24 hours in advance and keep refrigerated. Bring closer to room temperature before serving.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Do not freeze.
- Chicken: Swap rotisserie chicken for leftover roast chicken or poached chicken.
- Dressing: Substitute the mayo and sour cream with Greek yogurt for a lighter version, adding extra spices and salt to taste.
- Cheese: Replace Pepper Jack with Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Colby Jack.
- Cilantro: Substitute with Italian parsley if preferred.
- Add heat: Add diced jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 859mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 841IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg