Southwest Chicken Salad in a Jar

Salads are on our meal plan every week. Mostly, I prepare mason jar salads to enjoy every day for lunch, but at least once a week, we have a hearty, healthy salad for dinner.

We love this healthy taco salad, steak salad, cheeseburger salad.

And now I can add this flavorful southwest chicken salad to the list.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe.

• Super easy to prepare. The longest part of this recipe is waiting for the chicken to cook, and everything else comes together quickly.
• Bursting with flavor. Spicy taco seasoning, creamy southwest ranch dressing, and crunchy veggies make this chicken salad recipe super tasty and a family favorite.
• Healthy. This salad is high in protein and fiber to fill you up without feeling bloated. It’s also gluten-free.
• Great for meal prep. You can prepare the chicken on Sunday for easy weeknight dinners or make five salads ahead of time in mason jars for healthy work lunches.

Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken breasts. Use organic, high-quality chicken breast for the best flavor and to keep this salad recipe clean.

Taco seasoning. This homemade taco seasoning is delicious, easy to make, and free from weird ingredients that you’ll find in store-bought packets. If you purchase store-bought taco seasoning, then look for an organic brand and check the ingredients on the label.

Southwest ranch dressing. I found an organic southwest ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt at Wegmans in the produce section. If you can’t find something similar at your local grocery store, then get a high-quality ranch dressing and add 1-2 teaspoons of both chili powder and cumin to 3/4 cup of ranch dressing to give it a southwest kick.

Grape or cherry tomatoes. I like to cut the tomatoes in half to soak the flavors of the dressing and spices.

Bell peppers. I like to use red, orange, or yellow bell peppers for this salad because they have a milder, sweeter flavor that balances out the heat of the spice. Green bell pepper will work too, or for extra heat, add some chopped jalapeño or poblano peppers. 

Red Onion. I like using red onion for its color, crispy texture, and mild spiciness.

Black beans. Beans add fiber and protein to this southwest salad. However, even though beans are filling and nutritious, they can pack on carbohydrates and calories. So, I only use two tablespoons of black beans per serving. Refrigerate leftover beans in an airtight container to use in another recipe during the week, or you can freeze black beans for a later recipe.

Avocado. What would a southwest salad be without avocado? Avocados add good fat and a cool creamy flavor to the salad. If there are leftovers, you can freeze avocado to use in smoothies or avocado toast down the road.

Lime juice. Not only does lime juice give this salad a fresh flavor, but it’s essential to keep the avocado from browning, especially if you’re making mason jar salads.

Pepper jack cheese. Cheese can pack on many calories and saturated fat if you add it to the salads mindlessly. One trick I do is to purchase individual pepper jack string cheese and cut it into small pieces before adding it to the salad. If you use shredded cheese or block cheese, I recommend measuring it out to assure you’re not using too much.

Chopped romaine lettuce and cilantro. I’m sure you can use other salad greens, but crunchy cold romaine is my favorite salad green to use in a this chicken salad. Cilantro gives the fresh, pungent flavor found in many southwest recipes. 

Tortilla chips. I would say sprinkling crushed tortilla chips on this salad was an option, but it’s so good I’m going to say that you must try it. A small portion goes a long way. I like organic tortilla chips, and red hot blues are delicious too.

Cooking Tips

• Grill the chicken or even use rotisserie chicken. You can use any chicken in this southwest salad so if you want to throw some on the grill or pick up a rotisserie chicken, go for it.
• Swap in shrimp or steak. Sprinkle the taco seasoning on your protein of choice and either cook it in a skillet, grill it, or bake it in the oven. Salmon would also work in this salad recipe.
• Switch up the dressings. Any dressing with a spicy kick will be tasty in this salad. If you want a vinaigrette dressing, then a cilantro lime dressing would be delicious.
• Add different fresh veggies. Most southwest chicken salads include corn, but I left it out to reduce the carbs. However, corn, cucumbers, poblano peppers, mushrooms, and green onions all work in this salad. Use any of your favorite salad veggies you have in the fridge.

Supplies

• 32-ounce Mason Jars
• Plastic Mason Jar Lids
• Large Rimmed Baking Sheet