Description
Chicken Taco Salad is a fresh, hearty Tex-Mex salad loaded with juicy seasoned chicken, crisp romaine, warm black beans and corn, crunchy tortilla chips, creamy avocado, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep with bold flavors and satisfying textures.
Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
4 tsp chili powder, divided
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ear fresh corn, husked and kernels cut from cob, or 1 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup fresh salsa
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
4 oz corn tortilla chips
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved, or 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup sour cream
Mexican hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 teaspoons chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken thighs and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the chicken about 6 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, and sauté the corn for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans, salsa, and remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder. Season with additional salt if needed and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro.
- Divide the romaine lettuce among four bowls. Top with tortilla chips, the warm bean and corn mixture, chopped chicken, shredded cheese, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and sour cream.
- Finish with Mexican hot sauce to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitute chicken breast for a leaner option.
Use pepper jack cheese for extra heat.
Replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter topping.
Add sliced jalapeños, pickled onions, or bell peppers for additional flavor and crunch.
For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with seasoned roasted vegetables or extra black beans.
Store the chicken and bean mixture separately from the lettuce and toppings for up to 3 days.
Reheat the chicken and bean mixture before assembling the salad for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad
- Calories: 690 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
