High Protein Southwest Chicken Salad
A delicious, protein-packed salad loaded with zesty southwest spices, crisp veggies, and tender chicken, perfect for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded Use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed Great source of protein and fiber; can substitute with kidney or pinto beans.
- 1 cup corn, cooked Canned or frozen is fine.
- 1 unit red bell pepper, diced
- 1 unit avocado, diced Adds creaminess; can substitute with Greek yogurt or omit.
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 unit lime, juiced Brightens flavors.
- 1 tsp cumin Can substitute with taco seasoning.
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparation
- If using fresh chicken, grill it until fully cooked, then shred. If using rotisserie chicken, simply shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro.
- Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper over the mixture. Squeeze the lime juice over everything.
- Gently toss with a spoon to ensure all ingredients evenly absorb the spices.
- Add the diced avocado and gently fold it in to prevent mashing it.
- You can enjoy this salad immediately, or refrigerate it for later. Letting it sit for an hour allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The avocado may brown slightly. For future use, freeze chicken and beans separately. If reheating, warm chicken and beans but keep fresh veggies and avocado separate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 30gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 600mgFiber: 8gSugar: 3g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!