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Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad

Spicy Southwest chicken salad with blackened chicken slices, smoky charred corn, and a creamy chipotle ranch drizzle. Every forkful brings crisp tortilla strips, cool avocado, and smoky heat over romaine for a fast Tex-Mex dinner salad.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chill time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main salad
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp Cajun or blackening seasoning
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup corn kernels, charred
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup tortilla strips
For the chipotle ranch
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 packet ranch seasoning
  • 1 cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make chipotle ranch
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle pepper in adobo, lime juice, and ranch seasoning until smooth, with no visible streaks; refrigerate at least 10 minutes for thick, pourable sauce.
Blacken and slice chicken
  1. Coat chicken breasts with Cajun or blackening seasoning on all sides so they look evenly dusted.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until shimmering, then add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until deeply blackened.
  3. Continue cooking until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F, then transfer to a plate and rest 5 minutes before slicing.
  4. Slice the chicken into strips so it can be layered on the salad.
Assemble the Southwest salad
  1. Chop romaine lettuce and add it to a wide serving bowl as the base layer.
  2. Top the romaine with charred corn, black beans, sliced avocado, and halved cherry tomatoes for even color across the bowl.
  3. Place sliced blackened chicken over the salad in an even layer.
  4. Drizzle chipotle ranch generously over everything so the chicken and vegetables are lightly coated.
  5. Top with tortilla strips for crunch, then finish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, rest the chicken after reaching 165°F so juices settle, then cut while still warm. Refrigerate leftover salad components and ranch separately in airtight containers up to 3 days; assemble just before eating for best crunch. Freezing isn’t recommended for avocado and assembled salad. For a lighter option, use Greek yogurt in place of half the mayonnaise to keep the chipotle ranch creamy while reducing richness.