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Mexican Chicken Chopped Salad

Mexican Chicken Chopped Salad with cilantro lime dressing is a fresh Tex-Mex salad loaded with juicy diced chicken and crisp romaine. Each bite balances creamy avocado, hearty black beans, sweet corn, and crunchy tortilla strips.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 4 cup romaine lettuce
  • 2 cup cooked chicken breast
  • 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion finely diced
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1 cup tortilla strips
For the Cilantro Lime Dressing
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Method
 

Make the dressing
  1. Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and emulsified, with no dry mustard bits visible.
Build the salad
  1. Place romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl and spread it into an even layer so the toppings distribute across the surface.
  2. Add diced cooked chicken breast, drained and rinsed black beans, corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, finely diced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped cilantro over the lettuce.
  3. Drizzle the cilantro lime dressing over the salad in a steady stream, targeting the center and edges so every bite gets coating.
  4. Toss until evenly coated, turning gently until avocado pieces are intact and the lettuce looks lightly glossy.
  5. Top with tortilla strips and serve immediately so the strips stay crisp.

Notes

For best crunch, keep tortilla strips separate and add them right before serving. Store assembled salad (without strips) in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days; add strips after chilling. Freezing is not recommended due to avocado texture. If you want a lower-fat option, use part-skim cheddar (or a reduced-fat shredded cheese) while keeping the same dressing.