Chicken Taco Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Grilled chicken spiced with smoky chili powder, layered with crunchy romaine, creamy avocado, roasted corn kernels swapped in for chips, zesty black beans. Cilantro jalapeño dressing blends fresh herbs with lime punch and mild heat. Cool chicken rests before slicing; salad built at serving. Notes on grill timing, dressing balance, and ingredient swaps included. A fresh take avoiding gluten, nuts, eggs.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
35 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Mexican
#salad
#grilled chicken
#avocado
#quick meals
#dressing
Crunch, cream, grill smoke. Avocados soft but not mushy, hit just with lime so no brown spots. Chicken spiced up with chili powder but not masked. Black beans soak marinade flavors from slight cilantro dressing hit. Dressing balances heat, acid, oil; make ahead chill tightens taste. Corn kernels toasted replace usual chips; no sog or grease. Salad built last minute, let everyone toss their own to keep crispness. Tried mayo once—too heavy. Squeeze juice fresh, not store-bought. Grill hot but watch closely, chicken screams done when firm and juices run clear. Slice thin for texture. Eat quick before avocado dulls.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 200 ml fresh coriander (stems and leaves)
- 1 scallion cut in chunks
- ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded (adjust to taste)
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 120 ml canola oil
- 50 ml lime juice
- Salt and pepper
Salad
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 6 ml chili powder
- 1 romaine heart, torn
- 2 tomatoes, quartered each
- 2 avocados, cubed with light lime squeeze
- 1 can 400 ml black beans, rinsed and drained
- 100 g roasted corn kernels (swap for chips)
- Sour cream, optional
About the ingredients
I cut coriander amount slightly; too much makes dressing bitter and grassy. Stems add punch without excess leaf fuzziness. Jalapeños vary wildly; seed ensures moderate heat, add more if daring. Switching from chili powder to smoked paprika gives smokier scent but may lose brightness. An onion ring in salad adds crunch but risks sog if prepped early. Avocado cubes get just a splash of lime—overdoing turns bits bitter. Beans: rinsed well to lose can salt and slime. Tried black-eyed peas once, decent but less color pop. Nix corn chips for roasted dry corn kernels—same crunch, keeps crisp much longer. Sour cream optional but cools heat, helpful if you overspice. Canola oil chosen for mildness; olive oil alters flavor too heavily for this context.
Method
Dressing
- 1. Blitz coriander, scallion, jalapeño, and garlic in food processor till mostly smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in oil and lime juice slowly, pulse until combined but not emulsified too much. Refrigerate to let flavors meld.
Salad
- 2. Heat grill on high. Oil grates with paper towel soaked in oil – no sticking, no flare ups.
- 3. Pat chicken dry. Salt and pepper well. Dust with chili powder pressing it in. Grill 4 to 6 minutes per side, watch for firm fleshy bounce; juices clear. Avoid overcooking or dryness. Cool on wire rack for a few minutes then cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 45 minutes for better slicing.
- 4. At serving, slice chicken against the grain thinly onto big platter center. Arrange torn romaine, quartered tomatoes, avocado cubes, black beans in piles around.
- 5. Scatter roasted corn kernels instead of chips for crunch that won’t wilt or get greasy.
- 6. Salt and pepper salad lightly before serving. Offer dollops of sour cream and dressing on side to let eater assemble.
- 7. For leftovers, keep dressing separate from salad to avoid sogginess. Chicken slices reheat gently or served cold.
- 8. If no grill, pan-sear chicken in cast iron with high heat, slightly more oil, and vent the kitchen as chili aroma thickens.
- 9. Feel free to swap lime juice with lemon for sharper citrus tone. Jalapeño can be reduced or replaced with fresno pepper for milder heat.
Cooking tips
Food processor dressing beats hand chopping—keeps oil’s emulsion throwing flavor balance off slightly but not overly smooth. Start grill early, it needs to be flaming hot to grill chicken in 10 minutes, prevents sticking and ensures juicy results. Oil grill lightly but thoroughly—too little and chicken tears. I rest chicken 10+ mins covered to let juices redistribute; slices better, less dry. Chilling adds punch to chili surface but don’t wait too long or texture dulls. Cut chicken across fibers to avoid toughness. Toss salad last minute; moisture from beans and tomato cause wilt if done too soon. Corn kernels scatter at plating; avoid mixing prematurely or flavor dulls. Eat quickly! Avocado oxidizes even with lime. Leftover chicken reheats gently to keep moistness—not overdo or dry clumps appear. Storing dressing separately prevents salad from getting soggy, a rookie mistake I made lots.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Grill chicken on a flaming hot surface; oil grates well but no flare ups. Listen for that faint sizzle, firm bounce signals done. Rest covered 10+ minutes to keep juicy and slice thin against grain. Chilling gives firmer slices but don’t go too long or dry toughens edges.
- 💡 Blend dressing in food processor—chop too fine kills flavour punch; oil won't emulsify fully but balances heat lime acid nicely. Use stems in coriander for punch but avoid too much leaf or bitterness. Adjust jalapeño seeds to control heat; too wild otherwise.
- 💡 Roasted corn kernels over chips keeps crunch without grease or sog. Scatter last moment while plating, mixing too early dulls texture. Black beans rinsed well remove can salt and sliminess; adds color pop, black-eyed peas also an option but less visual.
- 💡 Slice tomatoes quartered; softens quick so wait to add until last minute. Avocado cubes get a quick lime splash, not soaked or bitter. Toss salad only before serving; moisture from beans and tomato speeds wilt. Sour cream optional, cools spice if needed.
- 💡 If no grill, pan-sear chicken in cast iron; use slightly more oil, vent kitchen well cause chili powder aroma thickens air quickly. Swap lime juice for lemon if sharper citrus wanted. Fresno pepper works as jalapeño substitute with milder heat flavor.
Common questions
How to know when chicken is done?
Firm and bouncy when pressed. Juices run clear not pink. Watch time but smell too—smoky hit means close. Rest a bit covered so heat redistributes. No stabbing repeatedly or dries out fast.
Can dressing be made ahead?
Yes, chill tight. Flavors meld better but oil may separate slightly. Whisk before use. Keep separate from salad to avoid soggy leaves. Stored covered lasts few days but fresh tastes punchier.
What if no grill or cast iron?
Oven broil works but watch closely. Flip halfway, oil bird well or it sticks. Air fryer can sear too, just shorter time. Avoid microwave reheating chicken; dries badly, use gentle oven warming instead.
How to store leftovers?
Dressing and salad separate always. Chicken wrapped tightly, best fridge; reheated gently to keep moist. Salad packed loosely but eat within day. Avocado browns fast even with lime splash, better fresh cut.
