Southwest Chicken Salad
This quick + easy Southwest Chicken Salad can be made in less that 15 minutes using ingredients you probably already have on hand! I've loaded this up with corn, black beans, bell pepper, chilis, and a creamy cilantro dressing. Serve this over a salad, in a wrap or eat as a high protein snack with chips!
Ingredients
- 3 cup chopped or shredded chicken I use my instant pot chicken, but you could use canned to make this even faster
- 1 14.75 oz can or corn
- 1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 4 oz can diced green chilis
- 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese
Let's Make It
- I like to use my instant pot method to make some chicken to munch on throughout the week, so that is what I will typically use to make this, but you can used canned chicken as well.
- To make the instant pot chicken, you will add 2-3 chicken breast (fresh or frozen) to the instant pot, season with salt, pepper, garlic, add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom and cook on the meat/stew option for 20 minutes (25 for frozen). Let the instant pot slow release and wait until the chicken is completely cooled down before chopping.
- Add 3 cups of the chopped chicken into a large bowl, add the corn, black beans, red bell pepper and green onions.
- To make the dressing, add the cottage cheese, yogurt, cilantro, paprika, onion powder, garlic, chili powder, cumin, lime juice and salt to a blender or large cup. Using and immersion blender or blender, blend up the dressing for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken + veggies, toss to combine everything.
- Top with cotija cheese + more cilantro.
- I love eating this as a high protein snack with chips, but you can do so much with it! Try making some taquitos for the fam in the air fryer!