Southwest Chicken Salad
You’ve never had chicken salad quite like this light and creamy Southwest Chicken Salad with cilantro, onion, fresh corn, and black beans!
Cool, creamy and packed with flavor, this Southwest Chicken Salad is the perfect light lunch or snack. This chilled salad of rotisserie chicken, fresh corn off the cob, black beans, and onion is mixed in plain Greek yogurt making it healthy, light and packed with protein.
NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S CHICKEN SALAD
When I was growing up traditional chicken salad was never really my thing because all I could ever taste was the celery. This Southwest Chicken Salad is way more my style, incorporating amazing Tex-Mex flavors and I just love how easy it is to make.
Want more updated classics? You can’t go wrong with Easy Mini Egg Salad Sliders or this deliciously creamy Crab Pasta Salad!
OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD
- Southwest Kale Salad – Make it a meal with this crunchy and fresh kale salad.
- Air Fryer Green Bean Fries – These healthy “fries” are to die for. They also make a perfect side to a fresh chicken salad sandwich.
- Refrigerator Pickles – Nothing beats a crisp homemade pickle on the side of your sandwich.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken: The easiest and best tasting option is to buy a rotisserie chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Veggies: This Southwest Chicken Salad is packed with cilantro, purple onion, corn and black beans.
Base: I use plain Greek yogurt to tie this delicious salad together in place of traditional mayo.
Seasoning: Season this flavorful chicken salad with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
HOW TO MAKE SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD
STEP ONE: Remove the chicken meat from the bird and discard the skin. Then cut the meat up into bite-sized pieces and pice it into a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the chicken and stir until coated.
STEP TWO: Once the chicken salad is mixed together, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavor marry together.
STEP THREE: Serve your Southwest Chicken Salad on sandwich bread for a light lunch, on lettuce leaves for low-carb lettuce wraps, or with crackers for easy snacking!
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- You can also use 2 large chicken breasts that have been cooked instead of a rotisserie chicken. Sometimes I’ll cook a couple of extra breasts during dinner the night before to save on prep time.
- You can either boil 2 ears of corn and then cut off the kernels once cooled or drain a 15-ounce can of corn kernels and use that. The corn can be cooked off ahead of time too. Fresh cooked definitely tastes best, but canned is a great option when you’re in a hurry.
- My absolute favorite way to serve this recipe is on a fresh croissant.
- Always make sure to place leftovers back in the refrigerator to keep them from spoiling.
HOW LONG DOES SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD LAST?
If you have any leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. This chicken salad uses a Greek yogurt base so make sure it doesn’t sit out at room temperature for very long. Throw away leftovers that have been left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH CHICKEN SALAD
If you’re just looking for a tasty appetizer, crackers are the perfect vessel to enjoy this yummy chicken salad. If you want to make it into a meal, there are lots of sides that go perfectly with a Southwest Chicken Salad sandwich! For starters, you can’t go wrong with a side of fries or tots. Don’t limit yourself to just potatoes either! There are tons of alternative options using vegetables like okra or cauliflower! You can also keep it simple and serve a classic side of Rosemary Garlic Potato Chips or be adventurous and try a Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup.
OTHER EASY LUNCH RECIPES
- Crock Pot Meatball Sandwiches
- Cheesy Baked Beef Taquitos
- Easy Weeknight Chili
- Ranch BLT Roll Ups
- Baked Club Sliders
- BLT Pasta Salad
*This post was originally posted on 07/23/2013.
Southwest Chicken Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 15 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups corn kernels (see note)
- ½ cup red onion peeled and diced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Take the meat off the chicken and discard the skin. Cut the white and dark meat into bite-sized pieces before adding the chicken to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the black beans, corn, red onion, cilantro, Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the same bowl. Stir everything together until combined and evenly coated.
- Allow the chicken salad to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry together.
- Serve chilled on bread for a chicken salad sandwich, in lettuce leaves for a lettuce wrap, or with crackers for a yummy appetizer dip.
Can I use bumblebee chicken in the can?
I found it needed much more salt and some acid. This may be because I cooked my own chicken. Added pickled jalapeño with the pickeling juice.
This is so yummy. My husband loved it, but then he likes most anything Aubrey cooks! But this, he tried it before finding out about the greek yogurt and it was so good he didn’t even care. And I agree with Aubrey it was perfect for lunch because it was cold and filling but not too much.
Thanks Pam! You’re the best! 🙂
Is the corn uncooked?
No, the corn is cooked using whatever method you like best. 🙂
No, the corn is cooked using whatever method you like best.