Chicken Taco Salad
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Loaded Chicken Taco Salad – Made with protein rich chicken and black beans, fresh veggies, tortilla chips, and all the best toppings. It’s brimming with goodness and completely delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
In this bountiful salad you find it’s rich in Tex-Mex flavor and has so much freshness in every bite. There’s a beautiful variety of color, flavor and textures, with each ingredient enhancing the dish.
It’s layered with nutritious Romaine lettuce, crispy tortilla chips, a zesty citrus marinated chicken, salsa coated beans and veggies, plus rich cheese, sour cream, and avocado.
The chicken is pan seared then the taco salad filling is cooked in that same pan. And it’s convenient that you don’t need a grill for this recipe and it can be made any day of year no matter the season.
If you happen to have any leftover filling you can use it in tacos, quesadillas or burritos the following day for lunch. There’s just so much to love about this delicious Chicken Taco Salad!
Chicken Taco Salad Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Chicken breasts will also work here as well.
- Olive oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil can be used. This is used for searing and sauteing.
- Lime juice: Lemon juice is a good alternative.
- Chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper: These spices give it a classic taco salad flavor.
- Black beans: Pinto beans would be a great substitute.
- Corn, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, garlic: This is a colorful, flavorful blend of fresh vegetables used for the recipe.
- Sour cream: Mexican crema or even a cilantro yogurt dressing is a tasty alternative.
- Salsa: I prefer to use homemade salsa or deli fresh. Bottled can be used in a pinch.
- Cheddar cheese: Monterey jack cheese is another good option.
How to Make Chicken Taco Salad
Here is a brief overview of the steps to prepare this recipe. For full directions see recipe box below.
- Prepare the chicken marinade with oil, lime, and seasonings.
- Soak the chicken in the marinade for 1 to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Sear the chicken in a heavy skillet until cooked through. Let it rest briefly then cut into small pieces.
- Saute the corn and black beans, toss with salsa and remaining spices.
- Assemble the salads on individual servings dishes by layering together lettuce, chips, bean fillings mixture, chicken, cheese, and other toppings.
Possible Variations
- Grilled chicken: If you prefer the option of grilled chicken simply cook it on the grill for about 6 to 7 minutes per side over a medium-high grill until cooked through. Prepare the bean filling in a pan on the stove (though corn can be grilled as well).
- Substitute steak: Steak, such as sirloin, would also be a delicious option in place of chicken. Just chop into bite size pieces, marinate for 1 to 2 hours then sear pieces in skillet turning once halfway through until cooked to a medium or medium well doneness.
- Substitute salmon: For a salmon taco salad just use skinless salmon fillets in place of chicken. Marinate only 30 minutes, sear them about 3 to 4 minutes per side then after flake with a fork.
- Other vegetables: Use other fresh vegetables you may have on hand for this recipe. Poblano or bell peppers, zucchini, or leftover baked sweet potato would all be good options.
- Fillers: For a super hearty taco salad you can also add cooked cilantro lime rice or quinoa. You could use a spoonful of these as these as a healthier alternative to tortilla chips.
- Alternate cheeses: Other tasty cheeses to use would be queso fresco, feta, Oaxaca, or Chihuahua cheese.
Storing and Reheating Taco Salad
- Chilling: Chicken taco salad filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep separate from lettuce, chips, and toppings.
- Heating: Rewarm chicken and bean filling in a skillet with a little chicken broth, tossing occasionally, or rewarm individual serving in the microwave (no need to add broth).
- Assemble salad after heating.
How Many Calories in a Chicken Taco Salad
Based on an automated calculator there are about 790 calories in chicken taco salad. But keep in mind that includes all of the toppings here such as tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream and avocado. So if you are looking to reduce calories modify the toppings used or how much are added.
This is a meal in one kind of recipe. No need to prepare sides to go with it.
More Mexican Recipes to Try
- Chicken Street Tacos
- Ground Beef Taco Salad
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Turkey Black Bean Taco Salad
- Shredded Beef Tacos
Follow Cooking Classy
Chicken Taco Salad
Ingredients
Taco salad filling
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 4 tsp chili powder, divided
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, then to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ear fresh corn, husked and kernels cut from cobs, or 1 cup frozen corn
- 3/4 cup fresh salsa, homemade or store-bought
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
For the salad
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 4 oz. corn tortilla chips (white, yellow or blue)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomates, halved or 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Mexican hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 Tbsp lime juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 tsp chili powder, the cumin, garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) and pepper.
- Add chicken to the mixture and toss well to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chicken in a single layer leaving space between the thighs.
- Cook until golden brown on bottom, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken and continue to cook until center registers 165 degrees on each pieces, about 6 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes before cutting into small pieces.
- Meanwhile clean skillet of any burnt bits then return to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and saute corn for 2 minutes. Add black beans, salsa and remaining 1 tsp chili powder and season with salt to taste. Cook about 2 minutes to warm through then remove from heat and toss in cilantro.
- To plate taco salad to four individual plates or pasta style bowls evenly divide lettuce, chips, bean filling mixture, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, sour cream, and serve with hot sauce.