This Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad is a fantastic replica of a similar entree I enjoyed during a 2002 family vacation in South Dakota. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant we dined at, but I fondly recall my first bite of their spicy Southwest Chicken Salad. The components were outstanding, and my taste buds went crazy!

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I have been making this version at home ever since. It’s a big hit with my family, which is a huge accomplishment. Because, while my husband and I love salads, my son isn’t much of a fan, so to create something that he loves is a big deal!

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad Ingredients and Recipe

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Usually, I marinate chicken breasts with fajita flavors and grill them. However, I eliminated this step and opted for a delicious pre-cooked chicken to save time and energy.

For this recipe, I used OriginAl’s Chicken Ribs. These ribs are fully cooked chicken thighs prepared with a dry rub and smoked over hickory for 4 hours. The flavor is outstanding! Even better, the prep time is only 5 minutes! 

I’ve been using these ribs in all of my chicken recipes as of late, they’ve made dinner less complicated. OriginAl’s does nationwide two-day shipping right to your door (use Code: FloFAVS for $10 off)!

An interesting fact about myself is I declared myself a strictly white meat chicken eater during my teenage years and have avoided dark meat ever since. Consequently, I was shocked at how much I enjoyed these chicken thighs. I’m a huge fan of these chicken ribs!

I thawed 4 ribs and crisped in the air fryer for 5 minutes (you can also heat in the oven). Cut into strips after heating.

Salsa Ingredients

• 1 15 oz black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 cup corn (I thawed frozen corn)
• 15 grape tomatoes halved (see instruction video)
• 6 Tbsp cilantro leaves chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp spicy dressing (see below)

Mix ingredients in bowl and set aside

Spicy Dressing

• 1/3 cup Hot Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil Vinaigrette dressing (shake beforehand)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine ingredients in blender and mix. Pour dressing into a bowl and set aside.

Crispy Tortilla Strips

• 3 tortilla shells cut into strips and then 1 1/2-inch pieces
• olive oil spray or 1/2 cup vegetable oil depending on how you want to crisp them.

Coat tortilla strips with olive oil spray, place in air fryer on 350 and crisp 7 minutes until desired color. Set aside

Alternate: heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil and fry tortilla strips until crisp

To Assemble Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad

• Place 1 cup lettuce on plate
• drizzle spicy dressing over lettuce
• top with 1/2 cup salsa
• Add chicken strips
• Top with crumbled queso, tortilla strips, and drizzle with ranch dressing

Enjoy (Click here for additional recipes)