SOUTHWESTERN MICRO-CHOPPED SALAD WITH CILANTRO LIME DRESSING
on Jul 22, 2024
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This salad has everything you’ll want. Crisp romaine, pico de gallo, corn kernels, and pickled jalapeño make for the ideal Tex-Mex salad. Diced chicken adds some healthy protein, as does the addition of black beans.
A salad you can eat with a spoon? I’m all in! I’ve been seeing my fair share of micro-chopped salads on Instagram.
While I don’t jump on board all of the food trends, the micro-chopped salad is one trend that I can completely get behind. When everything is the same size, the dressing evenly coats the ingredients and makes for one delicious bite. Now my take on the micro-chopped salad is this Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing.
If you have cooked chicken on hand or a rotisserie chicken then putting this salad together is that much simpler.
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Now, I can’t take credit for the “spoonable” salad but I can take credit for this cilantro lime dressing! It’s bright, zesty, and makes every bite taste like summer. The dressing comes together so quickly with the help of a blender or food processor.
This southwest chopped salad is a great weekday lunch that you can whip up rather quickly. Or, bring it to your next BBQ cookbook and wow the crowd. Just remember to bring some spoons too. While it’s not a requirement for this salad, it makes eating it just all that more fun! Enjoy!
Ingredients for Southwest Chopped Salad
Salads shouldn’t be complicated. This one comes together quickly with the following ingredients.
- Cilantro: A key component of the dressing and the salad, this zesty herb screams Tex-Mex. I know some people have an aversion to cilantro and find that it tastes soapy. If that’s you, I’m sorry! But go ahead and use another herb like parsley so you can still enjoy this salad!
- Lime Juice: The best salad dressings have a kick of acid to cut through the thickness of the oil. Here, lime juice is added for another southwestern flare and to brighten up the dreamy dressing.
- Honey: The addition of honey balances out the dressing flavors. Add a tablespoon or two, depending on how sweet you want it.
- Romaine: Crispy, crunchy, and fresh, romaine is the perfect base for this salad.
- Chicken: I like to precook some proteins like chicken thighs or breasts at the beginning of a busy week so that my husband Kyle and I have something on hand when lunchtime rolls around. My Lazy Girl Chicken Thighs or Lazy Girl Chicken Breasts recipes are perfect for this. You could also buy pre-cooked grilled chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make this salad even simpler to assemble. Of course, if you’re plant-based, you can leave the chicken out entirely.
- Pico de Gallo: Adding a scoop of pico de gallo gives that much more flavor to this vibrant salad. Fortunately, most grocery stores like Whole Foods have pre-made fresh salsa or pico de gallo in the produce section. You could also quickly make your own with chopped tomatoes, cilantro, onion, lime juice, and hot peppers.
- Black Beans: A can of beans in the pantry is another quick way to boost the protein in this salad.
- Corn: Make it easy and buy frozen corn for this. It takes little to no time to defrost and is just as nutritious as fresh corn. You could use canned corn, but I recommend draining and rinsing it to get rid of any excess sodium.
- Pickled Jalapeño: This is an underrated ingredient but adds a tangy and slightly spicy punch to the dish. They aren’t as spicy as regular jalapeños but still give a hint of spice. You can leave them out if you’re averse to spicy foods.
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Pin ItHow to Make Southwest Micro-Chopped Salad
There’s no right way to micro-chop. The key is to use a sharp knife and try to make everything about the same size. Put on your favorite playlist or podcast and get to chopping! Micro-chop the romaine, cilantro, chicken, green onion, and pickled jalapeño.
Then, go ahead and start on the dressing. In a food processor or blender, add the packed cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, green onion, honey, salt, and pepper. Give it a whirl until everything is emulsified and the dressing is smooth.
Add all the micro-chopped salad ingredients to a large bowl, along with the can of black beans and corn. Add the dressing. Toss it together and serve it up!
Other Salads You’ll Love
- Spicy Cashew Quinoa Crunch Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing
- Broccoli Crunch Salad with Creamy Almond Butter Dressing
- Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Creamy Roasted Shallot Dressing
SOUTHWESTERN MICRO-CHOPPED SALAD WITH CILANTRO LIME DRESSING
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Dressing:
- 1 ½ cups fresh cilantro, loosely packed (stems and leaves)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Salad:
- 2 large heads romaine, micro-chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, micro-chopped
- 2 cups cooked chicken, micro-chopped
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- (1) 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups corn
- ¼ cup green onion, micro-chopped
- ⅓ cup pickled jalapeños, micro-chopped
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- To your serving bowl, add all of the finely chopped salad ingredients and toss with your dressing.
- Serve and ENJOY!
This is one of my favorites and a go to for lunch prep for the week!
This salad is so good! I’m not a fan of corn so i left it out but iwas still really good.
Great flavor. Perfect hot summer night meal