Southwestern Chicken Salad

5 from 11 votes

This Southwestern Chicken Salad is a powerhouse lunch, bursting with bold flavor and bright colors! It's made creamy with greek yogurt (no mayo), infused with Mexican-inspired spices and rounded out with fiber-rich black beans, fire-roasted corn and crisp bell pepper. It's easy to make, light yet full of protein, and holds up great for meal prep.

Servings people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Equipment

medium pot with lid
2 large bowls
hand or stand mixer or 2 forks
cutting board
knife
spatula
whisk
can opener
colander

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast *
kosher salt & black pepper to taste
1 cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr
2 tbsp lime juice
¾ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp chili powder
¾ tsp smoked paprika
kosher salt & black pepper to taste
cayenne optional, to taste
¾ cup black beans
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
½ cup corn (I prefer fire-roasted)
¼ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

First, add chicken breasts to a medium pot and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Cover with at least 1" of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken), until internal temperature reaches 165F.
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, kosher salt & black pepper
Transfer cooked chicken to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer and shred it. Alternatively, you can use 2 forks to shred it, but I like the mixer method because it's quicker!
In another large bowl, add the greek yogurt, lime juice and spices. Whisk until combined. Then add in the shredded chicken and remaining ingredients. Stir until combined. Taste and adjust the amount of salt, pepper and cayenne as needed.
1 cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr, 2 tbsp lime juice, ¾ tsp ground cumin, ¾ tsp chili powder, ¾ tsp smoked paprika, kosher salt & black pepper, cayenne, ¾ cup black beans, ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper, ½ cup corn, ¼ cup finely diced red onion, ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Place chicken salad in the fridge until is has cooled down and the flavors have melded together. Serve on whole wheat toast, with tortilla chips, on a rice cake or in a tortilla. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*NOTE: You can also substitute about 2.5 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken or canned chicken.

Calories: 231kcal

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: Black Beans, Chicken Breast, Chicken Salad, Cilantro, Corn, Gluten Free, Greek Yogurt, High Fiber, High Protein, Lime, Lunch, Meal Prep, Mexican, Quick & Easy, Southwestern

Nutrition