Southwest Chicken Salad (No Mayo!)
Wanting something fresh, flavorful, and easy to throw together? This Southwest chicken salad is just the thing! This easy, protein-packed recipe is made without mayonnaise. It is perfect for quick lunches or snacks all week long.
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Chicken salad is always good to have on hand. Pile it onto a sandwich, scoop it into lettuce wraps, or enjoy it with chips. This Southwest version is healthy, quick to make, and full of flavor.
Just blend the cilantro lime dressing and toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. It gets even better after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors meld. Perfect for easy lunches throughout the week.
Bonus: It’s egg-free! In our house, we skip the mayo due to food allergies and use plain Greek yogurt instead. It’s just as creamy, with added protein.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Shredded chicken: I typically use a rotisserie chicken.
- Roasted red bell peppers: or you can use a diced red bell pepper.
- Red onion
- Corn
- Black beans
For the cilantro lime dressing:
- Plain Greek yogurt: swap for sour cream.
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Salt and pepper
How to make southwestern chicken salad
Combine chicken, black beans, corn, roasted bell peppers, and red onion in a large bowl.
Combine plain Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, chili pepper, and salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour on the dressing and toss together.
Serve in a lettuce wrap, croissant, sandwich bread, with tortilla chips, or over grains (rice, quinoa).
Why you will love this recipe
Healthy and wholesome: This recipe is packed with protein and vegetables.
Easy preparation: So quick and easy to prepare.
Perfect lunch: I find that lunches can be one of the hardest meals to prepare. Make this recipe and have lunch covered all week.
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love this Black Bean and Corn Salsa Dip. Or if you are on the search for a quick and easy dinner recipe, try these Pork Enchiladas or Baked Chicken Tacos.
FAQ
I recommend chicken breasts. You can shred them once cooked or cube them.
It’s super versatile! Serve it in wraps, on sandwiches, in lettuce cups, over greens as a salad, or with tortilla chips for scooping.
You can swap with sour cream. If you need it to be dairy free, I suggest using an avocado. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to the dressing if it’s too thick.
Absolutely! It tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors meld together. It’s perfect for meal prep. Just store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Variations
1. Add extra crunch:
Toss in chopped celery, red bell pepper, or cucumber for more of a crunch.
3. Mix up the veggies:
Add chopped cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, or shredded carrots.
4. Add some spice:
Add a chopped jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
How to store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips for Success
Make it your own: Don’t be afraid to add some more salt, lime juice, or chili powder to fit your taste buds! If you are a huge fan of one of the ingredients such as red onions, increase the ratio. This recipe is so versatile!
If you give a recipe a try, please leave a star rating and review. This is beyond helpful to me and other readers! Happy cooking!
Southwest Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Shredded chicken I typically use a rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup roasted red bell peppers chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup cooked corn
- ½ cup cooked black beans
For the cilantro lime dressing
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt can swap for sour cream
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
Make your cilantro lime dressing
- In a blender, combine plain Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder.1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Blend until smooth and set aside.
Assemble the chicken salad
- In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, red onion, black beans, corn, and roasted red bell peppers1 lb. Shredded chicken, ½ cup roasted red bell peppers, ⅓ cup red onion, ½ cup cooked black beans, ½ cup cooked corn
- Drizzle over the cilantro lime dressing and toss together
- Scoop into a lettuce wrap or on a toasted croissant. You can also serve with tortilla chips or over rice.
This was great in a spinach wrap too!
Great to meal prep and enjoy all week long!