Quick Homemade Spicy Southwest Salad Recipe
This Quick Homemade Spicy Southwest Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring grilled marinated chicken, fresh vegetables, black beans, and a zesty spicy ranch dressing. Perfect for a wholesome lunch or light dinner that combines bold southwestern flavors with fresh, crisp ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 8-24 hours marinating)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 22 minutes (including marinating)
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Southwestern
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 chicken breasts
Spicy Ranch Dressing
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 2–3 tbsp hot sauce of choice (Chipotle Cholula used here)
Salad
- 1 head green leaf lettuce, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 avocado, sliced
- 1 cup corn
- ½ red onion, sliced
- ½ cup tortilla strips
- Cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl or a gallon-sized zip-top bag, combine the lime juice and zest, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, honey, and avocado oil. Add the chicken breasts, ensuring they are fully coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours up to 24 hours to allow flavors to infuse deeply.
- Cook the chicken: Preheat a grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat it with cooking spray. Once hot, place the marinated chicken breasts on the pan, cooking 5 to 6 minutes per side without moving them to develop defined grill marks. Remove from heat and let the chicken rest briefly before slicing into thin strips.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the ranch dressing with 2 to 3 tablespoons of your preferred hot sauce (Chipotle Cholula recommended) until smooth and well blended. Set aside for serving.
- Assemble the salads: Distribute chopped green leaf lettuce among plates or bowls. Layer sliced grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, black beans, sliced red bell pepper, avocado slices, corn, red onion slices, and tortilla strips evenly. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a wedge of lime on the side. Drizzle the spicy ranch dressing over the top just before serving.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight enhances the flavor and tenderness.
- Use fresh lime wedges to add a zesty finish just before eating.
- Tortilla strips add a crunchy texture but can be omitted for a gluten-free version if using gluten-free strips.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce in the dressing to suit your desired level of spiciness.
- Grilling can be substituted with pan-searing or broiling if a grill pan is not available.
Keywords: Southwest Salad, Spicy Salad, Grilled Chicken Salad, Quick Healthy Salad, Homemade Ranch Dressing