Spicy Southwest Salad (with Spicy Ranch Dressing)
The Spicy Southwest Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing is a bold, flavorful dish that combines fresh veggies, protein, and crunchy tortilla strips with a creamy, spicy dressing. Customizable and healthy, it’s the perfect salad for those who enjoy a little heat in their meals.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 chicken breasts
Spicy Ranch Dressing
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 2-3 tbsp hot sauce of your choice I used Chipotle Cholula
For the Salad
- 1 head green leaf lettuce chopped
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 avocados sliced
- 1 cup corn
- ½ red onion sliced
- ½ cup tortilla strips
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag, mix together the chicken marinade ingredients. Add the chicken breasts and toss until they are fully coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Avoid flipping the chicken back and forth to ensure you get the perfect grill marks! Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and let it cool before slicing it into thin strips.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the spicy ranch dressing by combining ranch dressing and hot sauce in a small bowl. Stir until well-mixed and set aside.
- To assemble the salad, layer the lettuce, sliced chicken, tomatoes, black beans, bell pepper, avocado, corn, red onion, tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime juice. Drizzle with the spicy ranch dressing and enjoy!