Southwestern Salad with Avocado Dressing

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Southwestern Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Looking for the perfect all-in-one salad that’s hearty enough for a full meal yet refreshing enough for warm-weather gatherings? This Southwestern Salad with Avocado Dressing is just what you need! Packed with bold flavors, fresh veggies, and protein-rich ingredients, this salad is a go-to for easy weeknight dinners, BBQs, and potlucks.

Even though summer might feel far away, there’s no wrong time for a vibrant, satisfying salad that brings warmth and brightness to your table. This salad is not just about leafy greens—it’s loaded with juicy grilled chicken, sweet corn, creamy cheese, crisp bell peppers, and protein-packed beans. But the real star? The creamy avocado dressing!

Why You'll Love This Salad

• Perfect for Meal Prep – Assemble ahead of time, and just add the dressing before serving.

• Versatile Pairing – Serve it with grilled flank steak, fresh tuna, or as a hearty vegetarian meal.

• Crowd-Pleaser – Great for BBQs, family dinners, and gatherings.

• Flavor Explosion – Smoky, tangy, creamy, and just the right amount of spice.

A Dressing You’ll Want on Everything

Even if you don’t make the full salad, you must try the avocado dressing! It’s creamy, slightly spicy, and perfect as a dip for tortilla chips, drizzled over grilled meats, or even as a sandwich spread. The best part? It keeps well for days, making it an easy go-to sauce for multiple meals.

So, let’s dive into this delicious and wholesome Southwestern Salad with Avocado Dressing—your next favorite meal-in-a-bowl!

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 grilled chicken breasts (see below for an easy preparation method)

• 1 can black beans, white beans, or beans of your choice, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered tomatoes of choice

• 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn

• 1 red bell pepper (or more, if desired)

• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper (or more, if desired)

• 3 hearts of Romaine lettuce, chopped

• 1 English cucumber (or other), diced

• Green onion, shallots, or thinly sliced red onion

• 2 cups cubed cheese of choice (Halloumi, Feta, Bocconcini, etc.)

Avocado Dressing

• 2 ripe avocados

• 1 jalapeño (adjust to taste)

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro

• Hot sauce (to taste)

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup salsa

• Juice from 2-3 limes (or 1/3 cup lime juice)

• 1 tbsp honey (optional)

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup milk (or more, to loosen the dressing)

Quick Dressing for Corn and Beans

• 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp coarse salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Prepare the Corn and Beans: Drain and rinse the beans. Thaw or prepare the corn. In separate bowls, toss each with the quick dressing ingredients. (You can also mix them together if preferred.) Set aside.

2. Make the Avocado Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust seasoning with hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Thin with additional milk if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator to let the flavors develop.

3. Assemble the Salad:

   • Chop the Romaine lettuce and spread it in a large serving bowl.

   • Prepare the tomatoes, slice or dice the onions, cut the cheese, and dice the peppers and cucumber.

   • Arrange all the prepared ingredients (beans, corn, veggies, and cheese) decoratively over the Romaine.

   • Lay the grilled chicken on top and drizzle generously with the avocado dressing.

4. Serving Tips: This salad serves 8 to 10 people easily. For meal prep, assemble the salad ahead of time without the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Easy Grilled Chicken Breast

For perfectly seasoned grilled chicken:

• In a large Ziploc bag, combine equal parts olive oil and lemon juice.

• Add seasonings of choice—smoked paprika, plain paprika, dried oregano, and cumin work well for this salad.

• Place chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight for deeper flavor).

• Before cooking, season with a dry rub or additional spice mix.

• Grill or pan-sear the chicken until cooked through, then slice and place over the salad.

Voilà! A fresh, satisfying, and flavorful salad ready to impress.

Southwestern Salad with Avocado Dressing

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Author: Richelle Fortin

Looking for the perfect all-in-one salad that’s hearty enough for a full meal yet refreshing enough for warm-weather gatherings? This Southwestern Salad with Avocado Dressing is just what you need! Packed with bold flavors, fresh veggies, and protein-rich ingredients, this salad is a go-to for easy weeknight dinners, BBQs, and potlucks.

Even though summer might feel far away, there’s no wrong time for a vibrant, satisfying salad that brings warmth and brightness to your table. This salad is not just about leafy greens—it’s loaded with juicy grilled chicken, sweet corn, creamy cheese, crisp bell peppers, and protein-packed beans. But the real star? The creamy avocado dressing!

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 grilled chicken breasts (see below for an easy preparation method)
• 1 can black beans, white beans, or beans of your choice, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered tomatoes of choice
• 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn
• 1 red bell pepper (or more, if desired)
• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper (or more, if desired)
• 3 hearts of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 English cucumber (or other), diced
• Green onion, shallots, or thinly sliced red onion
• 2 cups cubed cheese of choice (Halloumi, Feta, Bocconcini, etc.)

Avocado Dressing

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 jalapeño (adjust to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro
• Hot sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup salsa
• Juice from 2-3 limes (or 1/3 cup lime juice)
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk (or more, to loosen the dressing)

Quick Dressing for Corn and Beans

• 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Prepare the Corn and Beans: Drain and rinse the beans. Thaw or prepare the corn. In separate bowls, toss each with the quick dressing ingredients. (You can also mix them together if preferred.) Set aside.
2. Make the Avocado Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust seasoning with hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Thin with additional milk if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator to let the flavors develop.
3. Assemble the Salad:
4. Chop the Romaine lettuce and spread it in a large serving bowl.
5. Prepare the tomatoes, slice or dice the onions, cut the cheese, and dice the peppers and cucumber.
6. Arrange all the prepared ingredients (beans, corn, veggies, and cheese) decoratively over the Romaine.
7. Lay the grilled chicken on top and drizzle generously with the avocado dressing.
8. Serving Tips: This salad serves 8 to 10 people easily. For meal prep, assemble the salad ahead of time without the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.