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tex mex chopped chicken salad with cilantro lime dressing

Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing 

Colorful, crunchy, and so full of flavor, this Tex Mex Chopped Salad is a satisfying way to do supper. Feel free to use other favorite vegetables you have on hand. When corn is in season, shear the kernels from a cob, sauté in a skillet and add that in, too. This is a great one to make ahead and pack up for lunch. Wait to dress it until just before eating.

Course Salad, lunch, dinner
Cuisine Tex Mex
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings as a main dish
Calories 560 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 4 packed cups chopped hearts of Romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage
  • 1 medium red pepper, diced
  • 1 cup English or Persian cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium avocado, cubed
  • 3 scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 heaping tablespoon taco seasoning mix
  • ¼ cup roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

For the Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 3/4 teaspoon taco seasoning mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Make the Salad

  1. In a big bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, and scallions. Set aside.

  2. Sprinkle taco seasoning and salt over the surface of the chicken, coating it well on all sides.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until deeply brown along the bottom and cooked about halfway up the side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until brown on the second side and cooked through, another 3 to 5 minutes.

  4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the salad bowl.

Blend up the Dressing and Assemble

  1. To make the dressing, put the lime juice, yogurt, honey, taco seasoning mix, salt, cilantro, and olive oil into a blender and blend until smooth.

  2. Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad. Toss well. Add more dressing if needed. Divide onto plates and top each salad with 1 tablespoon pepitas. Serve immediately.