This Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette is a MUST for your summer menu folks! It’s protein packed with chicken, two kinds of beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion and LOADS of flavor!
Summer and salads go hand and hand at our house. How bout yours?
And the more loaded they are, the more popular they’ll be.
Take for instance today’s Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette. HELLO bold and tangy flavor! This is one of our go-to’s this summer.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This is one protein-packed salad.
It’s loaded with shredded rotisserie chicken, two kinds of beans, black and pinto, tomatoes, corn and red onion and it’s all dressed in the BEST chipotle vinaigrette! You’re going to want to make this dressing over and over this summer, I know it! It’s that good!
The chipotle dressing has got some red wine vinegar for tang, a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for added heat and some honey for sweetness. And to the salad I add some roasted, salted pepita seeds for crunch and some crumbled Cotija cheese for a little salty flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- shredded rotisserie chicken
- black beans
- pinto beans
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- corn
- red onion
- roasted, salted pepitas
- Cotija cheese
- vegetable oil
- red wine vinegar
- honey
- garlic
- chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- lime juice
- cumin
- oregano
- kosher salt and pepper
Step-By-Step Instructions
The first step is to make your chipotle vinaigrette. You’ll place all ingredients in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You’ll pour into a jar and set aside.
The second step is to combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and then toss well with the chipotle dressing.
If you’re lookin’ to spice things up, this salad is for you this summer. Perfect for the family, meal prep and summer guests.
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
I use roasted, salted pepitas for this recipe. You can also use sunflower seeds instead.
Use as much dressing as you prefer on this salad. I used the entire serving.
You can use fresh or canned corn for this recipe. If using fresh, you can shuck it right from the cob and add it to the salad or you can cook the ears for three minutes in a pot of boiling water first.
More Delicious Summer Salad Recipes to Enjoy
Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Chipotle Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil,
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
Southwest Chicken Salad
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 15.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15.5 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup corn, canned or fresh
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup pepitas, roasted and salted
- 1/3 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Chipotle Vinaigrette
- Place all ingredients in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a jar and set aside.
Southwest Chicken Salad
- Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well with the chipotle dressing. Serve immediately.
Notes
This is one fabulous chicken salad, Mary Ann! Ideal for summer get-togethers (hooray for those, right?), but I’d gladly make a meal of it anytime too. Great WFH lunch!
Love everything about this chicken salad! Love the southwest flavours and can’t wait to try that chipotle vinaigrette :)
Love this recipe. Such a great mix of southwest flavors. This will be a regular in my go-to list of recipes.
So happy you enjoy it Laurie! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I just made this recipe for the second time and once again, it was a huge hit! We tend to like things a little spicy, so I used extra chipotle pepper in adobe sauce. I also used diced grilled chicken breast. Love, love, love this recipe.
So happy you guys enjoy it Laurie!! You should try my slow cooker honey chipotle chicken too! Bet you’d love it!