I’ve really gotten into salads lately. It’s an easy “canvas” to work with building layers of ingredients and flavors. A restaurant that Jon and I frequent makes a Chicken Southwest Salad, full of chicken, black beans, and corn in a fried tortilla shell bowl. It is absolutely delicious, but with the fried tortilla bowl and extra dressing, it is full of calories. I love the flavors, and I made my own lighter, home version so I can enjoy the flavors with less guilt!
Salads are a great way to lighten up a meal. Use leftovers and turn them into a wrap for lunch the next day. I love meals that I can revamp the leftovers into a new meal.
In this recipe, there are 4 parts: The dressing, the Chicken, the Tortilla Crisps, and the Salad itself. The parts are really easy and quick. Take a look!
Ingredients and Directions:
Dressing:
1/3 cup ranch dressing
¼ cup Western dressing
Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Chicken Seasoning and Chicken:
½ tsp salt
½ ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp granulated garlic
¼ tsp cumin
Combine the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Season each side of the chicken breast with the seasoning.
Grill the chicken breasts, turning halfway through cooking, until chicken is cooked through.
Cut the chicken into slices.
Tortilla Crisps:
1-10inch flour tortilla
1/8 tsp salt
Baking spray
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray a baking sheet with baking spray and lay a flour tortilla on the baking sheet. Spray the top side of the tortilla with baking spray, lightly. Sprinkle salt on the top side.
Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the tortilla over and bake another 5 minutes. Remove the tortilla from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Slice the crispy tortilla into strips, using a pizza cutter. Don’t worry if the strips don’t cut perfectly. If it looks rustic, it looks homemade.
Salad:
3 grilled, seasoned chicken breasts, cut into slices
6 cups washed and torn green leaf lettuce
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
2/3 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup corn kernels
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla Crisps
Assemble the salad by placing the lettuce onto a platter. Remember, salads look prettier when served on a platter!
Next, top the lettuce with the black beans, tomatoes, and corn.
Top with the sliced seasoned chicken breast, shredded cheese, and tortilla crisps.
Serve the salad with the dressing on the side.
- 3 grilled, seasoned chicken breasts, cut into slices (see recipe above with photos)
- 6 cups washed and torn green leaf lettuce
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- ⅔ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Western Ranch Dressing (see recipe above with photos)
- Tortilla Crisps (see recipe above with photos)
- Assemble the salad by placing the lettuce onto a platter.
- Next, top the lettuce with the black beans, tomatoes, and corn.
- Top with the sliced seasoned chicken breast, shredded cheese, and tortilla crisps.
- Serve the salad with the dressing on the side.
Great salad! I used the following recipe for the Western dressing and bottled Ranch dressing.
Western Dressing
1 cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
1⁄2 cup organic catsup
4 teaspoons onions, grated
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon real salt