Quick Homemade Spicy Southwest Salad Recipe
This Quick Homemade Spicy Southwest Salad is a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring marinated grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, black beans, and a spicy ranch dressing. Perfect for a healthy, satisfying meal, the salad combines southwest-inspired spices with creamy avocado and crunchy tortilla strips for texture and zest.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 8–24 hours marinating time)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 22 minutes (including minimum marinating)
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Southwest American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 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
- 2 chicken breasts
Spicy Ranch Dressing
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 2–3 tbsp hot sauce of choice (Chipotle Cholula used here)
For the Salad
- 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 and lime wedges
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Combine lime juice and zest, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, honey, and avocado oil in a large bowl or gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add chicken breasts, ensuring they are well coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours to maximize flavor and juiciness.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken breasts for 5–6 minutes per side without flipping multiple times to get defined grill marks. After cooking, allow the chicken to cool slightly, then slice into thin strips.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, mix together ranch dressing and your choice of hot sauce (Chipotle Cholula recommended) until smooth. Adjust hot sauce quantity to taste for desired spiciness. Set aside.
- Assemble the salads: Distribute the chopped lettuce evenly between bowls or plates. Top with sliced grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, black beans, sliced red bell pepper, avocado slices, corn, sliced red onion, and tortilla strips. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Drizzle the prepared spicy ranch dressing over the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and crunch.
Notes
- For maximum flavor, marinate chicken for 8 to 24 hours; at least 1 hour is acceptable if short on time.
- If you don’t have a grill pan, a regular skillet or oven baking at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes works well.
- Dry lettuce thoroughly to prevent sogginess and add dressing only before serving.
- Adjust the heat level of the dressing by varying the amount of hot sauce according to your preference.
- For meal prep, store chicken, veggies, and dressing separately and assemble just before eating for best texture and taste.
Keywords: Southwest salad, spicy chicken salad, healthy salad, grilled chicken, black bean salad, spicy ranch dressing, avocado salad
