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    Home » Recipes » Mexican Garden Chicken Salad

    Mexican Garden Chicken Salad

    July 1, 2019

    449 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Mexican garden chicken salad recipe with a cilantro citrus vinaigrette is basically a fiesta in a bowl. Diced chicken breast, charred corn, avocado, tomato, and cotija cheese, makes this Mexican chicken salad a lunch/dinner favorite.

    overhead close up shot with lettuce, chicken, avocado, corn, tomatoes, in a white bowl with cotija cheese over the top

    Is there anything better than a fresh summer salad?! Summertime brings delicious produce which makes dishes taste that much better. This Mexican garden chicken salad screams summer and tons of flavor.

    Cilantro Citrus Vinaigrette

    cilantro citrus vinaigrette ingredients

    Homemade vinaigrette is totally underrated. I used to always buy bottled salad dressings because I thought it would be a pain to make, but it’s actually the opposite. It is not only easy to make, but it’s so nice to control the ingredients that are put inside. A lot of dressings are filled with hidden ingredients that yeah make them taste good, but pack the calories.

    cilantro citrus vinaigrette in a bowl

    I based this vinaigrette off of my lemon dijon vinaigrette which is one of my absolute favorite salad recipes. Using white wine vinegar instead of red, added some ground cumin, and fresh cilantro for freshness. I whisked it all together and stored in the fridge until I was done with the salad elements.

    Mexican chicken spices

    spice mix for the mexican garden chicken salad

    For the chicken I made a quick seasoning blend of: chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. I added a few tablespoons of olive oil, then mixed in the seasoning until all the chicken pieces are completely coated.

    chicken cooking in a cast iron skillet

    You can also leave the chicken whole and then grill the chicken or you can cook it in a cast iron skillet over the stove. You’re going to fully cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. If cooking on the stove, use a spoon to remove the chicken and set aside. If grilling, once cooked, remove from the grill then cut into smaller pieces.

    grilled corn in a cast iron skillet

    Next comes the corn, basically the mascot of summer. You can also either prepare this over the grill or you can cook it in the same cast iron that you cooked the chicken in. I sautéd the corn with 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat until the corn charred and cooked through.

    Assembling the salad

    Overhead of individual bowls of the mexican garden chicken ingredients: lettuce, corn, chicken, avocado, tomatoes, and citrus vinaigrette

    Assembling the salad, I used mixed greens but feel free to use your favorite type of greens as the base. I also diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, freshly chopped cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese (the best!).

    overhead shot of the Mexican garden chicken salad with lettuce, chicken, avocado, corn, tomatoes, in a white bowl with cotija cheese over the top

    Add all the ingredients together in a bowl and dress with the homemade cilantro citrus vinaigrette. Toss and serve!

    overhead close up shot with lettuce, chicken, avocado, corn, tomatoes, in a white bowl with cotija cheese over the top

    If you are saving the salad for later, do not dress the salad with the vinaigrette ahead of time or else it will make the salad soggy. This Mexican garden chicken salad will be your new favorite lunch!

    Looking for more salad recipes?

    • Grilled Corn and Halloumi Salad
    • Grilled Peach Salad
    • Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad
    • Crispy Chickpea Kale Salad
    • Spicy Peanut Salad

    Made this recipe and loved it? Leave a star rating below!

    Mexican Garden Chicken Salad

    This garden mexican chicken salad paired with a cilantro citrus vinaigrette, is a fiesta in a bowl! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: cilantro vinaigrette, citrus vinaigrette, corn, garden salad, grilled chicken
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 552kcal
    Author: Stephanie

    Ingredients

    Chicken

    • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed (1 lb)
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil

    Cilantro Citrus Vinaigrette

    • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice ½ lemon
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
    • ⅓ cup freshly chopped cilantro
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • fresh ground black pepper to taste

    Salad Ingredients

    • 5 ounces mixed greens or lettuce of choice, rinsed and dried
    • 2 avocados peeled & diced (½ cup)
    • 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
    • ¼ cup cotija cheese crumbled
    • 1 cup corn
    • 1 tablespoon butter

    Instructions

    • In a bowl, add cubed chicken, olive oil, all spices, and mix until chicken is evenly coated. In a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove and set aside. In same skillet, lower heat to medium, and add 1 tbsp of butter. Once melted add in the corn and sauté until the kernels are charred, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
    • Vinaigrette: Using an immersion blender or regular blender, add all the ingredients for the vinaigrette and blend until smooth. You can also hand whisk until all ingredients have been combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Store in refrigerator.
    • In a large bowl, assemble all the ingredients together. If not eating right away, wait to dress the salad with the vinaigrette or else the greens will wilt. 

    Notes

    • Refrigerate dressing for up to one week due to the fresh cilantro in the vinaigrette
    • You can also grill the chicken and the corn in this recipe. If grilling the chicken, you can leave the chicken breast whole, then proceed to dice after fully cooked. Same with corn, grill whole then cut the kernels off.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 521mg | Potassium: 984mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1382IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
    Made this recipe?Mention @GirlWithTheIronCast or tag #girlwiththeironcast!
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    449 shares

    Originally Published: July 1, 2019 Post Updated: November 16, 2022 Filed Under: Chicken, Dairy Free, Gluten-Free, Grilling, Low Carb, Lunch, Marinades, Sauces, Dressing, Mexican, Quick Meals, Recipes, Salad, Spring Delights Tagged With: Avocado, Cilantro, Corn, Lemon, Lettuce, Oregano, Tomatoes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Adelaide Dupont

      August 05, 2019 at 2:06 am

      5 stars
      Delicious!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        August 05, 2019 at 7:25 am

        I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Lizzy

      July 29, 2019 at 2:14 pm

      Love this fresh take on a chicken salad – way more interesting than my typical lunches! Can’t wait to try

      Reply
    3. Olivia

      July 01, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      Looks amazing. Going to try this very soon!

      Reply

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