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Bow of salad topped with a few drizzles of creamy green cilantro dressing with tomatoes, avocados and corn and chicken in the salad

Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad


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  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 16 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This crazy delicious Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad is bursting with flavor! Juicy, taco seasoned ground chicken piled on top of crisp, fresh romaine lettuce and layered in with bright and sweet cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion and tender avocado. All drizzled with a creamy herby cilantro lime dressing that is so good! This is a salad you must try!


Ingredients

Scale

For the salad

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 24 tablespoons store-bought taco seasoning – see recipe notes for how to make your own
  • 2 bunches of romaine lettuce (about 45 cups) sliced thin
  • 1/2 large red onion – sliced thin (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large ripe avocado – peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup corn – I used corn on the cobb that I sliced off of the cobb 
  • 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

For the Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

  • 2 cups packed fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 a ripe avocado – peeled and sliced in half
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice plus the zest of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Other

  • Tortilla chips
  • Salsa
  • Sour cream

Instructions

  1. Cook the chicken. Heat up a skillet to medium heat, add some olive oil and the ground chicken. Break up the chicken and toss and cook it for a few minutes until most of the pink is gone. Sprinkle on the taco seasoning, toss, and cook until the chicken is nice and golden brown. This takes about 5-6 minutes. Set aside. 
  2. Make the cilantro lime dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse on high until a creamy, smooth dressing forms. It is so good!
  3. Make the salad. Add the sliced romaine lettuce to a large bowl, and top with the cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, corn, red onion, cooked ground chicken, and shredded cheese.
  4. Top and serve. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve with your favorite tortilla chips. Yum!

    Notes

    • You can use ground chicken or ground turkey in this recipe. You can even make it meat free and use crumbled tofu or beans in place of the meat.
    • Switch up the greens and use spinach or sliced kale in place of the romaine lettuce.
    • Make this recipe dairy free by using dairy-free shredded cheese or just leave the cheese out. It will still be crazy good!
    • Add even more veggies by including some diced bell peppers or roasted sweet potatoes.
    • To make your own taco seasoning – Combine the following ingredients together in a small bowl- 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
    • Add some salsa or sour cream for even more toppings.
    • Use air fryer boneless chicken breast instead of ground chicken. So easy and only takes 20 minutes to make it!
    • To store this salad: Place all ingredients separately into airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble when ready to eat!
      • Prep Time: 10
      • Cook Time: 6
      • Category: Quick and easy salads
      • Method: Assembled
      • Cuisine: Mexican