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Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado, Black Beans, and Chipotle Ranch
A 47-minute American Southwest dinner for 4 — 730 calories per serving.
per serving, estimated
A hearty, bold salad loaded with grilled chicken, creamy avocado, black beans, corn, and crisp romaine, all drizzled with a smoky chipotle ranch dressing.
Ingredients
Serves 4 · custom servings available with a Kiwi account
Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado and Black Beans
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- 3 romaine lettuce hearts (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 15 ounces canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1½ cups frozen corn kernels (thawed, or charred in a dry skillet)
- 2 ripe avocados (pitted, peeled, and sliced)
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ½ red onion (thinly sliced)
- ¾ cup shredded mexican cheese blend
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (leaves picked) — optional
- 1 lime (cut into wedges, for serving)
- 1 cup tortilla strips
Chipotle Ranch Dressingsauce
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Sour cream
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from the chipotle can)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Steps
Every amount is written into the step where you use it.
Steps marked like this need your attention — stay close so nothing burns.
Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado and Black Beans
- In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. 3 min
- Pat the 1½ pounds of pounded chicken breasts dry, rub with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then coat evenly with the spice mixture. 4 min
- Timing-sensitive step. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. 12 min
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes, then slice crosswise into strips. 5 min
- If charring the corn, heat a dry skillet over high heat and cook the 1½ cups thawed corn kernels, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until lightly charred; remove from heat. 5 min
- Drain and rinse the 15-ounce can of black beans, halve the 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice the ½ red onion. 5 min
- Chop the 3 romaine hearts into bite-sized pieces and divide among 4 wide bowls or plates. 3 min
- Pit, peel, and slice the 2 ripe avocados just before serving to prevent browning. 3 min
- Arrange the sliced chicken, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado slices, ¾ cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, and 1 cup tortilla strips over the romaine; garnish with ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional) and lime wedges, then drizzle with chipotle ranch dressing. 4 min
Chipotle Ranch Dressingsauce
- Finely mince 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. 3 min
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons buttermilk, the minced chipotles, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dried dill, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt until smooth. 4 min
- Taste and adjust seasoning, then refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve (at least 10 minutes for flavors to meld). 10 min
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Nutrition figures are estimates derived from public reference data and automated calculation. They are not verified by a dietitian and are not medical or dietary advice. Recipes, cooking times, quantities and allergen information are generated automatically and may contain inaccuracies. Kiwi’s allergen filtering is automated and is not a guarantee — it can miss an allergen where an ingredient’s name does not disclose what it contains, or where a product’s formulation differs from the generic ingredient. You must read ingredient labels and confirm for yourself that any food is safe for the people you are feeding. If anyone in your household has a severe or life-threatening food allergy, treat this page as a starting point only. See our full terms.