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A bowl filled with a santa fe salad and southwest dressing.

Southwest Salad (Santa Fe Salad)

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  • Author: Erin Jensen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 2 salads 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired

Description

A delicious Southwest (Santa Fe) Salad recipe packed with flavor! Black beans, crushed corn chips, bell peppers and more!


Ingredients

Scale

Chicken:

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 batch chipotle seasoning*
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salad:

  • 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped (or mixed greens)
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels (canned or grilled)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup corn chips, crushed
  • (optional) 2-4 jalapeños, sliced
  • toppings: guacamole, pico de gallo/salsa and sour cream
  • salad dressing: creamy southwest dressing or southwest vinaigrette 

Instructions

  1. Prep Chicken: Place chicken breasts on plate and pat dry with paper towel. Coat the outside of the chicken breasts with chipotle seasoning and rub all over. Drizzle with olive oil and fully coat. 
  2. Grill: Heat grill to medium heat (approximately 400 degrees). Ensure the grill grates and clean and greased. Place chicken on the grates over direct heat (direct flame) and cook at medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Move chicken away from the direct heat so that it is cooking on indirect heat (maintaining the same grill temp) and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reads 160 degrees F on your meat thermometer.
  3. Rest: Remove chicken from the grill and let rest at least 5 minutes (the chicken will continue to cook during this time and the internal temp will increase 5 additional degrees). Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees (at thickest part of the breast). Slice or cube the chicken. 
  4. Assemble Salads: Divide salad ingredients between two bowls. Use the toppings of your choice, plus the cooked, cubed chicken.
  5. Serve: Top with your choice of a creamy Southwest Dressing or Southwest Vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Notes

  • *Chipotle Seasoning: option to use a store-bought seasoning or just salt and pepper. You could also use our favorite chicken marinade, if you prefer!
  • Corn: easily use canned corn (drain) or make grilled sweet corn and cut the kernels off the cob!
  • Dairy-Free: simply use the Southwest Vinaigrette and skip the cotija cheese!
  • Vegetarian: this makes an amazing vegetarian salad, if you omit the chicken! 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6oz
  • Calories: 471
  • Sugar: 4.9 g
  • Sodium: 651.8 mg
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Carbohydrates: 39.3 g
  • Protein: 36 g
  • Cholesterol: 97.7 mg