This Fiesta Chicken Salad is the perfect protein-based dinner! It’s made with crunchy romaine lettuce, corn, black beans, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and Mexican chicken, then finished off with a zesty fiesta Ranch dressing. Just 25 minutes to make!
I love a Mexican-inspired meal like my Mexican Chicken and Rice Bake or my Shredded Mexican Chicken Casserole…but sometimes I want something a lighter meal that still has all of those incredible flavors.
This Fiesta Chicken Salad fits the bill and it’s an all-time favorite!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Protein-packed – With beans and chicken in this recipe, this salad is loaded up with protein for a healthy and filling meal.
- Simple to make – This tasty dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!
- Incredible flavor – Tender Mexican chicken, the sweet pop of corn, pico, and the bright burst of flavor from the dressing…this salad is so tasty!
Recipe Notes
This Southwestern Chicken Salad recipe is as simple as promised! Just 25 minutes total for a healthy, family-friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Simple Chicken Salad to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken – You’ll need boneless or skinless chicken. Breast or thighs will work.
- Taco Seasoning – You can use store-bought taco seasoning or whip up a batch of my Homemade Taco Seasoning.
- Lime Juice
- Vegetable Oil
- Romaine Hearts
- Mexican Style Corn
- Black Beans – Keep it simple with a can of black beans or add some extra flavor with my Crock Pot Black Beans.
- Pico de Gallo – Store-bought or homemade will work.
- Cheese – Use shredded cheddar or Mexican blend—whatever you prefer!
- Fiesta Ranch Dressing – A combination of sour cream, salsa, Ranch seasoning, Taco seasoning, lime juice, and water or buttermilk to thin.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Play with toppings – The great thing about a Simple Chicken Salad is you can customize it exactly to your liking! Stick to the toppings listed or load your salad up with sliced red onion, black olives, tortilla strips, Avocado Corn Salsa, etc.
- Use leftover chicken – While you can make chicken specifically for this recipe, this Mexican Chicken Salad is also the perfect way to use up any leftover Mexican chicken you have from other recipes including Mexican Style Chicken Thighs, Mexican Chicken Marinade, and Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Mexican Chicken Salad.
Combine sour cream, salsa, Ranch seasoning, taco seasoning, and lime juice in a small bowl to make your Fiesta Ranch dressing. Add buttermilk or water to thin until your desired consistency is reached.
Place sliced cutlets of chicken into a ziplock bag or bowl, then top with taco seasoning and lime juice. Mix and marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a skillet, then cook the chicken cutlets until heated all the way through. Cool slightly, then slice or dice.
In a large bowl, combine romaine lettuce, corn, black beans, pico de gallo, and cheese. Top with your prepared chicken, drizzle with prepared dressing, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Check the chicken temp – To make sure your chicken is done cooking, be sure to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should be 165ºF.
- Cool before cutting – Give the chicken a few minutes to rest and cool before slicing into it. This gives the flavor and moisture time to settle back into the meat.
- Serve immediately once assembled – After the chicken salad is fully assembled, I recommend digging into it right away to maintain the freshness of the lettuce!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Meal prep individual salads – Make a few mason jar salads for the week! Simply layer all of your salad components in a mason jar in the following order: Dressing, chicken, pico, corn, black beans, lettuce, cheese!
- Prep the chicken ahead of time – Cook and cool your chicken, then store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days OR pop it in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw if frozen, reheat, and it’s ready to go!
- Make and store the dressing– Homemade dressing will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Feel free to prep your dressing in advance so it’s ready to go!
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Easy Chicken Salad recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store your prepared chicken in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to Freeze Chicken After Cooking
- Let the chicken cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
- Store in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- When you’re ready to serve, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator, reheat, then serve on a freshly assembled salad with your favorite toppings!
What to Serve with Fiesta Chicken Salad
This protein based dinner is loaded up with Mexican flavors, so it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Mexican Roasted Vegetables – Keep your meal light with these Mexican Roasted Veggies—a colorful blend of red onion, bell pepper, broccoli, and squash coated in taco seasoning.
- Easy Mexican Rice – Round your Southwestern Chicken Salad out with a side of my Easy Mexican Rice—packed full of flavor, deliciously fluffy, and restaurant-quality!
- Mexican Street Corn Casserole – You can never go wrong with a side of Mexican Street Corn Casserole! This recipe takes just 5 minutes to prep. It’s rich, creamy, flavorful, and delicious.
Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! The components save well, and you can have Easy Chicken Salad all week long!
To save leftovers, keep the salad components in separate airtight containers and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose these leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Chicken – Use leftover chicken to make Mexican Chicken Tacos, Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad, or any of your favorite Mexican chicken recipes.
- Black Beans – Use your leftover black beans to make a Black Bean Chicken Bake or a Black Bean and Corn Salsa.
- Fiesta Ranch Dressing – Enjoy any leftover Ranch dressing as a dipping sauce for fresh veggies, a Carnitas Quesadilla,
Recipe FAQ’s
What goes in chicken salad?
That depends on the kind of chicken salad you’re going for! This particular chicken salad features Mexican/Southwest flavors and ingredients includin Mexican style corn, black beans, pico, cheese, Mexican chicken, and a creamy, taco seasoned Ranch dressing.
How long does chicken salad last?
Chicken salad is best served immediately. However, you can store leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days.
Can I freeze chicken salad?
Nope! I do not recommend freezing leftover salad. The texture of the ingredients won’t hold up when thawed.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Fiesta Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, or thighs
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 lime, juice of
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Salad
- 2 romaine hearts, chopped
- 1 can Mexican style corn, (11 ounce) drained
- 1 can black beans, (15 ounce) drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Pico de Gallo
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, or mexican blend
Fiesta Ranch Dressing
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1/3 cup Salsa
- ½ ranch seasoning packet, (½ ounce or 1½ tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 1 lime, juice of
- water or buttermilk, to thin
Instructions
For the chicken
- Cut the chicken breast into thin cutlets. Then place them in a zip top bag or container with taco seasoning and lime juice. Mix together and let marinate for 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, place each piece of chicken flat into the skillet. Let it cook 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip and repeat on the other side until cooked through (165˚F internal temperature.)
- Remove from heat and let rest while you assemble the salad.
To make the Fiesta Ranch Dressing
- Whisk together the sour cream, salsa, ranch seasoning, taco seasoning, and lime juice.
- Whisk in buttermilk or water until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. If you like a thicker dressing, you might not need any, however if you like a thinner pourable dressing you might use up to ¼-⅓ cup.
To assemble the salad
- Place the chopped romaine in the bottom of a large shallow bowl. Top with corn, black beans, pico de gallo and cheese.
- Dice (or slice) the chicken into pieces and add to the top of the salad.
- Drizzle with Fiesta ranch dressing and toss to coat the salad. *See notes for optional serving ideas.
Recipe Notes
- Salad Bar- Set up all of the toppings as a bar and let each person top their own.
- Meal Prep- Place in a mason jar or container in layers starting with the dressing
- Fiesta dressing
- Diced chicken
- Pico de gallo
- Corn
- Black beans
- Romaine
- Cheese
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