If you’ve ever wished taco night could be a little fresher — and maybe even a little lighter — this Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad is exactly that. It’s everything you love about bold, Tex-Mex flavors piled into one hearty, colorful bowl. Juicy chicken, marinated in warm spices, gets that perfect char in a cast iron pan before being sliced over crisp little gem lettuce. Around it, you’ll find a rainbow of toppings: sweet corn, black beans, creamy avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes, vibrant watermelon radishes, and fresh cilantro. The whole thing is tied together with a bright, tangy dressing of lemon, olive oil, cumin, and honey, then finished with the irresistible crunch of crushed tortilla chips. It’s fresh and filling, with all the flavors of a loaded taco — but you eat it with a fork.
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad with Avocado, Black Beans, and Crispy Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Dressing
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp honey
- kosher salt
Salad and Assembly
- 2 cups corn frozen or fresh (from 2 ears of corn)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1-2 watermelon radishes halved and thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado or two small, cubed
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 little gems leaves separated, washed and dried
- Maldon Salt
- 1 handful corn tortilla chips
Instructions
- Mix together spices, lemon and olive oil and spread on the chicken thighs. Set in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour.
- Grill in a cast iron pan on medium high heat for 7 minutes on each side. Work in batches as to not crowd the pan. Remove from the fire, let rest on a cutting board and slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside while you assemble the salad.
- In the same pan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook corn for around 5 minutes, turning every so often so that it doesn't burn. Remove from the heat and season with salt.
- Mix together dressing ingredients and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix together corn, black beans, watermelon radishes, cherry tomatoes, green onions, avocado and cilantro. Toss with salad dressing.
- Assemble your salad. In a serving bowl, arrange little gem lettuce, top with corn mixture, and then slices of chicken. Sprinkle with Maldon salt, and top with tortilla chips crushed by hand. Serve immediately.