What is the Southwest Salad?

My copycat version of McDonald's southwest salad has most of the same ingredients - greens, corn, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro, and a creamy southwest dressing. McDonald's version also includes roasted poblano peppers. Skip the drive-thru line and save some cash by making my simple southwest salad at home!

Are Southwest salads healthy?

I try not to think of foods as healthy or unhealthy and instead prefer to enjoy all foods in moderation. This southwest salad dressing is filled with real ingredients which makes it a more desirable option than the bottled dressing you might find at the grocery store that has a laundry list of ingredients. Build your southwest salad with chicken breast, lots of veggies, and this creamy southwest dressing and you've got an easy lunch that will fill you up and fuel you through your day!

What is Southwest dressing made of?

This southwestern dressing is made with just a handful of simple ingredients including sour cream, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. This is a quick and easy dressing recipe that can be throw together in just minutes!

The Best Southwest Salad Recipe Ever

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dressing:

8 oz. sour cream
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1.5 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

8 oz. your favorite spring green mix
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 avocados, thinly sliced
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup Cotija, crumbled
1 cup tortilla strips
fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Add all dressing ingredients to a large measuring cup and whisk until combined.
Add greens to a large serving platter. Top with sliced Cilantro Lime Chicken, black beans, red onion, and avocado.
Top with corn, tomatoes, Cotija, and homemade tortilla strips.
Pour dressing over salad just before eating. Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Equipment

large bowl

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measuring cup

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Notes

This southwestern salad dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to a week so you can prep a batch over the weekend and enjoy it for quick and easy lunches all week! It will separate as it sits in an airtight container in the fridge, so just give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients again and also season to taste with salt and pepper.
If you want to add a kick to your southwestern dressing, add a ½ teaspoon of chipotles in adobo, a little extra chili powder, or a couple pinches of cayenne pepper!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: No Cook
Cuisine: American/TexMex
Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
Calories: 336
Sugar: 5.5 g
Sodium: 396.5 mg
Fat: 21.2 g
Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
Fiber: 9.1 g
Protein: 12.7 g
Cholesterol: 30.4 mg