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The Ultimate Meal Prep Southwest Chicken Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

A vibrant bowl of southwest chicken salad featuring shredded seasoned chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, and topped with avocado chunks and creamy green dressing.
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Make this high-protein Southwest Chicken Salad for quick, flavorful lunches all week. It features seasoned chicken, fresh vegetables, and a homemade creamy cilantro lime dressing.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (or fire-roasted corn)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for salad)
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or light mayo
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional toppings: Crushed tortilla chips, cotija cheese

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Season cooked chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. If using unseasoned chicken, cook it now with these spices. Shred or dice the chicken.
  2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too thick, add a teaspoon of water until you reach your desired consistency.
  3. Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, diced red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes.
  4. Combine: Add the seasoned chicken to the vegetable mixture. Toss gently to combine the main salad components.
  5. Portion for meal prep: Divide the salad mixture evenly into four meal prep containers, leaving space for the avocado.
  6. Store dressing separately: Place the creamy cilantro lime dressing into small, separate containers for each meal prep container.
  7. Add fresh toppings before serving: Just before eating, top each salad portion with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and any optional toppings like crushed chips or cheese. Drizzle with the dressing.

Notes

  • For best results when meal prepping, store the dressing and avocado separately from the greens to prevent sogginess.
  • You can substitute the Greek yogurt and mayo with an equal amount of avocado for a dairy-free creamy dressing base.
  • This recipe is gluten free if you omit tortilla chips as a topping.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyfelix.com/southwest-chicken-salad-recipe/