Southwest Chicken Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing
Loaded with plenty of fresh flavors, this Southwest Chicken Salad is a keeper!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 16 cups green leaf, romaine, and/or spring mix lettuce chopped into 1-inch or smaller pieces
- 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin, about 2 cups
- 1 red bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 can corn, drained, OR 2 ears of corn, kernels removed, about 1½ cups
- 1 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups cooked chicken cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup cheddar cheese cut into matchsticks or shredded
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds
- 2 cups tortilla strips or corn chips
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 cups ranch dressing
- ⅓ cup spicy barbecue sauce
Instructions
Dressing Instructions
- Combine the ranch dressing and spicy barbecue ranch in a medium bowl or jar. Whisk well to combine and refrigerate until ready to use. Leftover dressing will keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Salad Instructions
- Layer the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, corn, beans, and chicken on a large platter or in a bowl. Toss to combine. Top with cheese, pine nuts, and tortilla strips. Drizzle the salad with the prepared dressing. Toss well and serve immediately.
Notes
The ingredients in this salad are easily adapted to each person's tastes. If I'm serving a large number of people; I often set out each of these ingredients in separate bowls and let people build their own salads that way.