Chicken Fajita Southwest Salad

This Chicken Fajita Southwest Salad is a flavorful summer salad recipe that’s perfect for backyard barbecues and cookouts. It can be a dinner side dish or a weekday lunch.

I made this Chicken Fajita Southwest Salad when we got together recently to celebrate family birthdays. Although spring weather has not arrived yet, this summer salad recipe reminded us of what we have to look forward to. Soon we will be having chicken taco salads with hamburgers on the grill and the snowy spring will be a thing of the past!

The really cool thing about this salad is that it is actually good for you. So many salads taste delicious but they are loaded with fat and calories…not this salad! Not that I’m saying I don’t enjoy all of those salads like potato salad and seven layer salad because I certainly do, but I love having healthier summer salad recipes that I can totally enjoy without worrying about the calorie count.

Like I said though, I am having a hard time picturing the summer let alone the spring. When I picked my kids up from school after lunch last week when they had a half day because of the snow, I asked them what they thought. Although they weren’t super excited about more snow, they were delighted with getting out early.

Me: It just feels like winter out there!

Zack: Yeah, it does.

Me: And the snow had just melted.

Zack: I know! It’s like there is a fight between winter and spring.

Me: Yup

Zack: Spring is like “I’m melting that snow!” and then winter goes “Hahaha (evil laugh) you aren’t going to win! Here is some more snow!”

Me: That is so true!

So, on Monday morning (Earth Day) spring was in the lead. We could see the grass in almost the entire yard. But by the time I picked the kids up on Monday afternoon winter was up to its usual tricks once again and the snowflakes were falling fast and furious. This morning, everything is white…the grass, the trees, everything. But I checked the forecast to see if spring has a new plan in the works and sure enough, by Sunday it is supposed to be 73 degrees! We will have to wait to see who wins this week.

This Chicken Fajita Southwest Salad includes romaine lettuce, cilantro, green onions, avocado, tomatoes, corn, black beans, red peppers, shredded cheese, chicken and Santa Fe style tortilla strips. I went light on the tortilla strips but it can be more like a chicken taco salad by using more tortilla strips or even tortilla chips.

For the dressing, mix together salsa and light sour cream.

If you are wanting to lighten it up, even more, skip the light sour cream and just use salsa for the dressing.

Chicken Fajita Southwest Salad Recipe

Adapted from Fajita Chop-Chop Salad

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Course: Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Author: The Gunny Sack

Ingredients

• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 3 romaine lettuce hearts chopped
• 1 can chipotle corn drained
• 1 can black bean rinsed and drained
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1 avocado diced
• 1 bunch green onions chopped
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced
• 1 bunch cilantro chopped
• 1 cup Colby Jack shredded cheese
• 1 package Santa Fe style tortilla strips
• 2 cups chicken cooked and sliced

Instructions

• Mix together the salsa and sour cream in a small bowl.
• Place the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.
• Top with 1/2 of the dressing and toss.
• Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

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