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Spicy Southwest Salad

Spicy Southwest Salad

Elevate your meal with this vibrant and flavorful Spicy Southwest Salad, featuring grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, and a zesty homemade ranch dressing. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or gatherings, this salad is quick to prepare and customizable to suit your taste. With a delightful mix of spices and creamy avocado, it’s not just satisfying but also packed with nutrients. Whether served as a main dish or a side, this salad promises to impress with its bold flavors and colorful presentation.

  • Total Time: 32 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 lime (juiced and zested)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • ½ cup ranch dressing
  • 2–3 tbsp hot sauce of choice
  • 1 head green leaf lettuce (chopped)
  • 2 tomatoes (diced)
  • 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
  • 2 avocado (sliced)
  • 1 cup corn
  • ½ red onion (sliced)
  • ½ cup tortilla strips
  • cilantro for garnish
  • lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, mix lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, honey, and avocado oil. Add chicken breasts and coat well. Refrigerate for 8–24 hours.
  2. Grill the chicken: Heat a grill pan over medium heat; spray with cooking spray. Cook marinated chicken for 5–6 minutes on each side until done. Let cool before slicing.
  3. Prepare the dressing: Combine ranch dressing with hot sauce in a bowl; stir well.
  4. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl or on plates, layer chopped lettuce as the base. Top with sliced chicken, tomatoes, black beans, red bell pepper, avocado slices, corn, red onion, tortilla strips, cilantro leaves. Drizzle with lime juice and spicy ranch dressing.
  • Author: Jennifer
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: Southwestern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 salad (approximately 300g)
  • Calories: 470
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 830mg
  • Fat: 23g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 18g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 45g
  • Fiber: 12g
  • Protein: 28g
  • Cholesterol: 65mg

Keywords: Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor. Adjust hot sauce based on your spice preference. Feel free to add nuts or seeds for extra crunch.