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Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad Recipe

4.9 from 50 reviews

This Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad combines tender shredded chicken with a smoky, tangy chipotle lime dressing, black beans, sweet corn, and colorful bell peppers. It’s a vibrant, flavorful dish perfect for a light lunch or dinner, served fresh with crunchy tortilla chips or crisp romaine lettuce leaves.

Ingredients

Scale

Chipotle Lime Dressing

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional or add more yogurt)
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Salad

  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • ½ cup canned sweet corn (drained)
  • 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 1 orange bell pepper (finely diced)
  • ¼ cup romaine lettuce (thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cup red onion (finely diced)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dressing: Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, kosher salt, minced garlic, and chipotle chili powder to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy with a consistent texture.
  2. Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, place the shredded cooked chicken, rinsed and drained black beans, drained sweet corn, finely diced red and orange bell peppers, thinly sliced romaine lettuce, finely diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and freshly cracked black pepper. Gently toss to mix the ingredients together evenly.
  3. Dress the Salad: Pour the prepared chipotle lime dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning by adding additional salt or black pepper if desired.
  4. Serve: Serve the salad immediately, accompanied by crisp romaine lettuce leaves and crunchy tortilla chips for scooping, adding a refreshing crunch and making it perfect as a light meal or appetizer.

Notes

  • For a spicier kick, add an extra chipotle pepper or more adobo sauce to the dressing.
  • This salad can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days; add the lettuce leaves just before serving to maintain their crunch.
  • Substitute mayonnaise with extra Greek yogurt for a lighter, lower-fat option.
  • Use grilled chicken for added smoky flavor if preferred.
  • Serve with warm corn tortillas or taco shells as an alternative to tortilla chips.

Keywords: Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad, smoky chicken salad, Mexican chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, no-cook chicken salad