Southwest chicken chipotle lime (Printable)
Grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, black beans, and chipotle lime dressing combine in a vibrant salad.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Salad
09 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, leaf lettuce, or baby spinach)
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
13 - 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
14 - 1 large avocado, sliced
15 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Chipotle Lime Dressing
17 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
18 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
19 - 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
20 - 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from chipotle pepper can
21 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
22 - 1 tablespoon honey
23 - 1 clove garlic, minced
24 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
25 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin dressing as needed
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and season evenly with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red onion, avocado, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
05 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, and salt. Add water gradually to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Top salad with sliced chicken, drizzle with chipotle lime dressing, and toss gently to combine or serve dressing on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's the kind of meal that feels fancy enough for guests but comes together in about thirty-five minutes on a regular Tuesday.
- The chipotle lime dressing is genuinely addictive and actually makes you look forward to eating salad.
- One bowl is hearty enough to satisfy, but you won't feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
- Don't slice the chicken until just before serving, or it will dry out; the thin slices have a lot of surface area and lose moisture fast.
- If you add the avocado too early, it will brown and turn bitter where it's exposed to air, so always slice it last or right before tossing.
- The dressing gets thicker as it sits because the yogurt continues to absorb liquid, so make it on the looser side if you're not eating right away.
03 -
- If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, butterfly them or pound them to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate and don't end up dry on the outside and raw in the middle.
- Keep a small bowl of extra lime juice on the table when you serve this, because people almost always want more brightness and acidity than they think they will.