I’m excited to share my latest recipe featuring Shenandoah Valley Organic chicken: a super tasty, super simple Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad that also turns into make-ahead Meal Prep Bowls. This three-for-one gives you a flavorful batch of Spicy Southwestern Chicken, an easy dinner salad using that chicken, and ready-to-go meal prep bowls for the week.
With warm weather creeping in, dinner salads have been on heavy rotation at our house. My husband and I love a bright, crunchy salad, and this Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad is a current favorite because it’s vibrant, full-flavored, and remarkably easy.
The chicken marinates in a straightforward mix of lime juice, taco seasoning, chili powder, and a few pantry staples. It’s forgiving on time — you can marinate for as little as 20 minutes or up to 2 hours (see Cook’s Notes below).
I prefer grilling the chicken for a touch of smoky char, but a hot grill pan will do the job just as well. While the chicken cooks, roast a few ears of sweet corn and a jalapeño on the grill or grill pan. Roasting concentrates their sweetness and amps up the best parts of their flavor. Cut the corn from the cob, dice the roasted jalapeño, and you’re almost done.
To assemble the salad, spread chopped greens on a large serving platter, sprinkle the roasted corn and jalapeño mixture over the greens, scatter diced bell peppers, sliced green onions, and torn cilantro, then top with sliced chicken. The overall result is refreshing, bright, and deeply satisfying.
Dressing? Honestly, the chicken is bold enough that this salad often doesn’t need one. When made with Shenandoah Valley Organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts the meat stays juicy, and with creamy avocado and a squeeze of lime you’ve got plenty of moisture and flavor. If you prefer a dressing, a homemade ranch or a green sauce would pair nicely, or use whichever favorite dressing you enjoy.
Bonus
This recipe converts beautifully into Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls. To make them, follow the recipe through roasting and combining the corn and diced jalapeño. Store the cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Divide the washed, dried greens between five large containers with tight-fitting lids. Portion the roasted corn mixture, diced bell peppers, sliced green onions, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges between the containers, seal, and refrigerate.
When it’s time to pack a lunch, open a container, slice one chicken breast and place it on the greens, scoop half an avocado into a corner, squeeze half a lime over the avocado, and close the lid. Pack the bowl with a small container of coarse salt in a cooler bag to keep everything fresh until lunchtime. At mealtime, squeeze the lime over the salad, add a pinch of sea salt, and enjoy.
Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad and Meal Prep Bowls
Cook’s Notes: Do not marinate the chicken for longer than 2 hours. The lime juice and vinegar in the marinade are acidic and will begin to break down the meat fibers after about 2 hours, leading to an undesirable texture.
If you need more time, you can season the chicken with the dry spices, oil, and garlic and refrigerate it for 24–48 hours without the lime juice and vinegar. Add the acidic ingredients only up to 2 hours before cooking to avoid over-marinating.
I’ve partnered with Shenandoah Valley Organic because, in my experience, it’s consistently the best commercially available chicken I’ve tasted. Their breasts stay juicy and deliver great flavor every time.
Tools to Make These Meal Prep Bowls
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Grill or grill pan
- Tongs
- Lunch containers with tight-fitting lids
- Small salt container (optional, for packed lunches)
Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad + Meal Prep
Ingredients
For the Spicy Southwestern Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons homemade or purchased taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (New Mexico or Ancho preferred)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons garlic extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar or white vinegar
For the Grilled Vegetables
- 3 ears corn on the cob
- 1 jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise (stem and seeds removed)
- Plain or garlic extra virgin olive oil for brushing
For the Dinner Salad and Meal Prep Bowls
- 3 heads romaine or green leaf lettuce, chopped or torn, washed and dried
- 2 bell peppers, any color, stems and seeds removed, diced
- 6 whole green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn
- 2 limes, quartered
To Serve or Pack
- 1 avocado, halved, pit removed and sliced
- 1/2 lime
- 1 grilled Spicy Southwestern chicken breast per serving
Instructions
To Make the Spicy Southwestern Chicken
- Add all chicken marinade ingredients to a resealable bag. Remove excess air, seal, and massage the bag to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and no longer than 2 hours. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high or heat a greased grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Grill 4–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Grill the Vegetables
- Brush corn and the halved, seeded jalapeño with oil. Grill on medium-high, turning occasionally, until lightly charred. Let cool until safe to handle. Stand a corn cob on its end and slice away the kernels. Thinly slice the roasted jalapeño and dice if desired. Toss corn and jalapeño together.
To Make the Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad
- Arrange greens on a large platter. Scatter the roasted corn and jalapeño mixture over the greens. Top with diced bell peppers, sliced green onions, and torn cilantro. Slice the rested chicken and arrange over the salad. Add sliced avocado and squeeze lime over the top when serving.
To Make the Meal Prep Bowls
- Divide greens between five large containers. Add portions of the roasted corn mixture, diced bell peppers, sliced green onions, cilantro, and lime wedges. Seal and refrigerate up to 5 days. When packing a lunch, slice a chicken breast and place it on the greens, add half an avocado, squeeze lime, close the lid, and pack with a small container of salt. At mealtime squeeze lime over the salad, sprinkle with salt, and enjoy.
Video
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
