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Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad Recipe

5 from 84 reviews

A vibrant and zesty Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad combining tender shredded chicken, black beans, sweet corn, crisp bell peppers, and a creamy smoky chipotle lime dressing. Perfect for a quick, refreshing lunch or light dinner, packed with bold flavors and balanced nutrition.

Ingredients

Scale

Dressing

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional or add more yogurt)
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Salad

  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • ½ cup canned sweet corn (drained)
  • 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 1 orange bell pepper (finely diced)
  • ¼ cup romaine lettuce (thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cup red onion (finely diced)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dressing: Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, salt, minced garlic, and chipotle chili powder to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend everything until smooth and creamy, ensuring the smoky chipotle flavor is well incorporated into the dressing.
  2. Combine the salad ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded cooked chicken, rinsed and drained black beans, drained sweet corn, finely diced red and orange bell peppers, thinly sliced romaine lettuce, diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss gently to combine all the fresh ingredients evenly.
  3. Dress the salad: Pour the prepared chipotle lime dressing over the combined salad ingredients. Toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated with the creamy, smoky dressing. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with extra salt and black pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
  4. Serve immediately: Serve the Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad right away, garnished with extra cilantro if desired. Enjoy it alongside fresh romaine lettuce leaves or tortilla chips for a delightful, crunchy accompaniment.

Notes

  • You can substitute mayonnaise with extra Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing.
  • If you prefer less heat, reduce the number of chipotle peppers or omit the adobo sauce.
  • This salad can be made a few hours ahead and chilled to allow the flavors to meld.
  • Use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken to save time.
  • For a gluten-free option, ensure tortilla chips are gluten-free or serve with romaine leaves only.

Keywords: Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad, smoky chicken salad, creamy chipotle dressing, quick chicken salad, Mexican-inspired salad