Mexican Chicken Salad
This Mexican Chicken Salad recipe is a flavorful and healthy dish that combines the best of Mexican cuisine with fresh ingredients and lean protein. With a delicious blend of spices, beans, corn, and shredded chicken, this salad is perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner that is both satisfying and nutritious.
Switch things up for Taco Tuesday! Add this vibrant dish as an exciting and unexpected meal that packs a nutritious punch.
Plus, this Mexican salad is easy to make. You can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken along with canned beans and corn to make your life simple.
This easy recipe tastes great and can be adapted to your individual taste or what you have on hand.
Why You Need This Recipe
- You can have this dish plated in under 30 minutes. Keep this one on hand for those late nights or extra busy weekends. You’ll be glad you did!
- It is so simple to add and delete ingredients to keep this meal appealing for your specific family or to suit a variety of dietary needs.
- With so much flavor packed into each bite, your taste buds will be thrilled. You could argue that this is the perfect salad!
Key Ingredients
Shredded chicken keeps you both satisfied and satiated.
Black beans are light on the wallet and heavy on fiber and nutrition. Considered a “superfood,” black beans are an easy addition to a healthy meal.
Corn adds the pop of color that will please the eye and the tummy.
Bell pepper packs the flavor that really gives this dish personality.
Avocado provides high levels of healthy fats that support the brain and are extremely nutrient-dense.
Please check the recipe card below for the exact measurements and ingredients.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Toss together the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, avocado, red onion, and chopped cilantro in a large bowl.
Step Two
Make the dressing by adding the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Whisk to combine.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Three
Toss the dressing with the salad. Chill the salad or enjoy at room temperature.
I hope you agree that this dish is your new favorite variation of plain chicken salad. It’s my version of ensalada de pollo and I absolutely love it.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Add more vegetables: You can add more vegetables to your Mexican chicken salad to increase its nutritional value. Some great options include diced tomatoes, romaine lettuce, steamed green beans, green onion, shredded carrots, chopped celery, or sliced cucumbers.
- Adjust the spice level: if you want a spicier version, include up to ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, taco seasoning, or chili powder in the dressing. Or, serve the salad with a nice dollop of salsa or pico de gallo. I also like serving it with pickled jalapeños!
- Use a different protein: While chicken is a common protein used in Mexican chicken salad, you can use other proteins such as beef, shrimp, or tofu.
- Change the beans: If you don’t like black beans, you can use kidney beans, pinto beans, or chickpeas instead. Or, just leave them out.
- Add grains: To make the salad more filling, you can add cooked quinoa or brown or white rice to the mix. Or, serve the salad with tortilla chips.
- Swap the dressing: If you prefer a creamier dressing, you can use prepared ranch dressing or sour cream instead of the lime and olive oil dressing in the original recipe (use dairy-free options if you are on a dairy-free diet). A creamy dressing goes great with the spicy flavors and transforms it into a creamy chicken salad.
Recipe FAQs
Mexican chicken salad is a recipe that has been adapted from traditional Mexican cuisine to suit American tastes. While it includes ingredients commonly used in Mexican cuisine such as cilantro, lime juice, and avocado, it is not a traditional Mexican recipe.
Yes, it will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
More Chicken Salad Recipes You Might Like
- Costco Chicken Salad (copycat recipe)
- Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
- Whole Foods Curry Chicken Salad (copycat recipe)
- 5-Ingredient Healthy Chicken Salad
Don’t Miss These Yummy Salad Recipes!
Mexican Chicken Salad
This Mexican Chicken Salad recipe is a flavorful and healthy dish that combines the best of Mexican cuisine with fresh ingredients and lean protein. With a delicious blend of spices, beans, corn, and shredded chicken, this salad is perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner that is both satisfying and nutritious.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 15–ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of canned corn kernels, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, avocado, red onion, and chopped cilantro.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled to make more servings or as a meal prep for the whole week.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 433
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 626.8 mg
- Fat: 16.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.7 g
- Fiber: 11.7 g
- Protein: 39.6 g
- Cholesterol: 99.3 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Sounds delish. I’m asking what is the best method to shred chicken. I have used a mixer but felt that the last time I did it, the texture became sort of mushy in the salad. Maybe I over did it
I tried the mixer too and didn’t get great results. I cook the chicken, cool it a little bit, and then shred with two forks. Works every time! 🙂
I’ll be making this one all summer long…it’s that good!