Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

  I've been MIA with the blog lately. Sorry, friends. My life has been so busy with changes at work, last minute summer fun, and also dealing with a stressful situation going on with my family. I'll catch you all up soon on what's been going on.

  Last weekend I got to party it up in Las Vegas! Every August my sisters and I do a getaway trip for our little sister's birthday. We eat, do some back-to-school shopping, and catch a fun comedy show. We always have a blast! The funnest part of the trip is when we stay up late, talking and laughing so hard we can't breathe! haha  Good times! I love my sisters. They are without a doubt my best friends.

   To get back to the recipe, I made this utterly delicious Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad last week for dinner. It was amazing! It's now officially my new favorite salad. Grilled chicken, romaine lettuce and lots of colorful veggies tossed in a taco-ranch dressing....

SO. GOOD!

   I admit, this salad does take a little prep time with the chopping of the veggies and all. But it is so worth it. I promise you will LOVE it!



Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad
Makes 4-6 servings


3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can sweet yellow corn, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 bunch of chopped cilantro
2 large Romaine hearts, washed and chopped
2 cups crushed tortilla chips


For the Taco-Ranch dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2-3 Tablespoons Ranch seasoning
2 Tablespoons Taco seasoning
1 Tablespoon fresh Lime juice
2-3 Tablespoons milk


Directions:  Start by making the Taco-Ranch dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to chill.

To make the salad:  In a large bowl, add the diced bell pepper, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onion and cilantro. Stir to combine. Then add the cooked chicken pieces and the chopped romaine lettuce. Pour the prepared salad dressing all over the top. (You may not need all of the dressing. It depends on how much dressing you like) Gently stir to combine the salad, making sure to coat entirely with the dressing. Mix in the crushed tortilla chips last.

Serve the salad in individual bowls, topping with more cilantro and limes to garnish, if desired.

Enjoy! ♥

Adapted from: Lauren's Latest