Chicken Taco Chopped Salad (Printable)

Vibrant Tex-Mex chopped salad with seasoned chicken, crisp vegetables, tortilla chips, and salsa ranch dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad Components

06 - 6 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
09 - 1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
10 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
12 - 1 avocado, diced
13 - 1 cup crushed tortilla chips

→ Salsa Ranch Dressing

14 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing
15 - 1/3 cup tomato salsa
16 - Juice of 1/2 lime

# Steps:

01 - Rub chicken breasts thoroughly with olive oil, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper, ensuring even coating on all sides.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook seasoned chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, tomato salsa, and fresh lime juice until completely smooth and well combined.
04 - In a large serving bowl, combine chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels, diced red onion, shredded cheese, and diced avocado.
05 - Add chopped chicken to the salad mixture. Drizzle with prepared salsa ranch dressing and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over the top immediately before serving to preserve crispiness. Serve at once while chips remain crunchy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get all the satisfaction of taco night in about half the time with minimal cleanup
  • The crunch from tortilla chips and the creaminess from the dressing creates this perfect texture contrast that keeps every bite interesting
  • Its incredibly forgiving and you can customize it with whatever toppings you have in your fridge
02 -
  • Add the tortilla chips as the very last step or theyll get soggy and lose that essential crunch
  • The warm chicken slightly wilts the lettuce in the best way, but dont let it sit too long or it becomes limp
  • Whisking the dressing really well prevents separation and ensures every bite gets the same flavor balance
03 -
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning it helps the spices adhere and creates better browning
  • Let the dressing sit for 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together perfectly
  • Use a sharp knife to dice the onion finely so you dont get large overwhelming bites
Go Back