Chipotle Chicken Salad with wonderful southwest flavors from chipotle rubbed chicken, black beans, corn, and tortilla strips. My wife's favorite lunch salad. Now we can have this at home.
Introduction
My wife's favorite lunch out is Chicken Fiesta Salad at Grand Traverse Pie Company. And I must agree with her that it is a great salad. So, of course, it is "copycat time."
So my first decision was not to try to recreate the dressing. There are several very nice southwest/chipotle dressing on the market, and it seemed similar but with a touch of heat. I would use one of them.
The chicken, while moist, had only a touch of taste. The meat needed a bit more taste and a little heat. See previous post Chipotle Seasoning. A seasoning I will use over and over.
The rest was basic cooking for two. I used frozen corn and black beans, so I wouldn't have partial cans in the refrigerator. Use prepped greens in a 5 oz container. Just right for two servings. There is about 1 cup per oz of greens.
My Rating
A solid 5. I liked mine better—much more taste in the chicken.
📋Ingredients
The chicken breasts are suggested, but you can use thighs or skip the meat if you want.
A chipotle season or rub is needed for the chicken. You can use my version if you want. Chipotle Seasoning.
The chipotle dressing is available in most markets now. I'm not re-inventing it here. It seems like too much work that is not needed for the small amount we need.
I suggest frozen corn and beans to minimize waste.
Like all salad recipes. Vary to your tast,e but this salad will fill you up at lunch, unlike others.
📖Salad Recipes
Fresh Spinach Salad - A Summer Favorite
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start by making Chipotle Seasoning. You can use another Chipotle seasoning if you have one. And preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
Trim and pat dry two skinless boneless chicken breasts. Give them a nice sprinkle of the seasoning. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. I used 10-inch cast iron. When the oil is hot, sear both sides of the chicken breast for about 2-3 minutes each.
Place in the oven and bake until an internal temperature of 165°. About 25 minutes for me, but your time may vary some by the thickness of the chicken and your oven. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
Using the pan the chicken cooked in, add one small or ½ medium onion sliced or chopped, ½ cup corn and ½ cup black beans. Cook over medium-high heat until there is a little browning. About 4-5 minutes.
On a large plate, cover with greens of your choice. Half of a 5 oz package is just about right. Top with a sliced chicken breast. Next cover with the hot bean/corn/onion mixture. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese then a hand full of tortilla strips.
Serve with dressing.
📝Full Recipe
Southwest Chipotle Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons Chipotle seasoning
- 2 teaspoons oil
- ½ cup corn
- ½ cup black beans
- 1 onion - small or ½ medium diced or sliced
- 5 oz cleaned mixed greens - about 5 cups
- ½ cup Southwest dressing of your choice
- ½ cup Shredded cheese
- ½ cup tortilla strips
Instructions
- Start by making Chipotle Season or you may use what you have. And preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- Trim and pat dry two skinless boneless chicken breasts. Give them a nice sprinkle of the Chipotle seasoning.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. I used 10-inch cast iron. When the oil is hot sear both sides of the chicken breast for about 2-3 minutes each.
- Place in the oven and bake until internal temperature of 165°. About 25 minutes for me but your time may vary some by the thickness of the chicken and your oven.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
- Using the pan the chicken cooked in, add one small or ½ medium onion sliced or chopped, ½ cup corn and ½ cup black beans. Cook over medium-high heat until there is a little browning. About 4-5 minutes.
- On a large plate, cover with greens of your choice. Half of a 5 oz package is just about right. Top with sliced chicken breast. Next cover with the hot bean/corn/onion mixture. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese then a hand full of tortilla strips.
- Serve with dressing on the side.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- The feature of this salad is the seasoning that is from Chipotle Seasoning. Please see that post for details of you don't it.
- Thinner chicken breasts work bests. Be sure to get a final internal temperature of 165°.
- The listed ingredients are making this a "copycat" of the restaurant version but vary to your taste if you want.
- Frozen black beans and corn are recommended but you can use canned if you want.
- 1 oz of greens is approximately one cup.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published August 22, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Savannah
Fajita dry mix on chicken and thick sharp cheddar cheese & no onion.
Joan
I made this last night. My picky husband loved it as did I. I made a few changes. I used leftover chicken tossing it in the rub and then tossing it in the skillet with the vegetables, made my own southwestern dressing and crumbled corn chips on top since my husband can't have gluten and the tortilla strips in the store aren't GF. I never get past the peach crumble pie when I go to the Grand Traverse Pie Company so I had never tried their version of this salad.