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When the weather gets hot, this Chicken Taco Salad is the dinner we make on repeat. It’s fresh, crunchy, loaded with juicy taco-seasoned grilled chicken, and tossed with the most delicious creamy taco salad dressing.
It’s everything we love about taco night piled onto a big bowl of crisp lettuce instead. It is fast, satisfying, and one of those meals everyone in the family loves!
After everyone went crazy for our Ground Beef Taco Salad I just knew we had to make a grilled chicken taco salad version. I mean, how can you not make another taco salad? It’s a must!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Taco Salad
- Fresh and flavorful – crunchy lettuce, juicy chicken, and tons of toppings
- Easy weeknight dinner – ready in about 30 minutes
- Healthy-ish comfort food – all the taco flavor without the heavy fried shell
- Totally customizable – add your favorite toppings
- Perfect for summer meals when it’s too hot to cook
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this grilled chicken taco salad is how simple it is. A few fresh ingredients, juicy taco chicken, and a creamy homemade taco salad dressing come together to make a salad that’s anything but boring.
- Taco Chicken: Boneless chicken breasts are coated in taco seasoning and grilled until juicy and flavorful.
- Romaine: Perfect for taco salad because it stays crisp and adds that classic chopped salad crunch.
- Black Beans: Add protein, fiber, and that classic Tex-Mex flavor.
- Corn: Adds freshness and a little sweetness that balances the savory ingredients.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar or a Mexican blend adds creaminess and richness.
- Tomatoes: Bring brightness and juiciness to the salad.
- Jalapenos: For a little kick of heat. Add as much or as little as you like.
- Avocado: Makes the salad extra satisfying.
- Onion: Adds sharpness and crunch that balances the other ingredients.
- Chips: Add the perfect salty crunch without using a tortilla.
Taco Salad Dressing
This creamy taco salad dressing is what really brings everything together. It’s tangy, herby, a little zesty, and takes just minutes to make.
- Ranch Dressing: You can make your own homemade dressing or use a good quality store-bought, our favorite is Wild Coyote.
- Tomatillo: A small green fruit with a bright, slightly tangy flavor that adds freshness to the dressing.
- Taco Seasoning: A blend of spices like chili powder, cumin, and garlic that gives the chicken classic taco flavor.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Adds a fresh, citrusy flavor that brightens the dressing and balances the salad.
- Cilantro: A fresh herb that adds bright, slightly citrusy flavor to the dressing.
How to Make Chicken Taco Salad
Making this taco salad with chicken is quick and simple. Just grill the taco-seasoned chicken, chop the fresh ingredients, blend the dressing, and assemble everything in a big bowl for the perfect fresh and flavorful dinner.
- Cook the Chicken: Season chicken with the taco seasoning and grill until cooked through.
- Let the Chicken Rest: Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing so the juices stay inside.
- Chop the Salad Ingredients: Chop the romaine and prep the beans, corn, veggies, and toppings.
- Make the Dressing: Blend ranch, tomatillo, taco seasoning, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Assemble the Salad: Add lettuce to a large bowl and top with chicken, beans, corn, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, onion, and jalapeños.
- Finish With Crunch: Top with crushed tortilla chips and drizzle with dressing.
Tips for the Best Taco Salad
Use crisp lettuce – Romaine or iceberg gives the best texture.
Don’t overdress the salad – Start with a little dressing and add more as needed.
Let the chicken rest – Resting keeps the chicken juicy instead of dry.
Add chips right before serving – This keeps them crunchy.
Season your greens – A tiny pinch of salt and squeeze of lime makes a huge difference.
Oh Sweet Basil Pro Tips!
- Did you know that salads love a fresh squeeze of acid and a dash of salt for serving? It always used to weird me out when someone would ask if I wanted salt and pepper on my salad, and now I’m like, bring it on! Yes, even your greens need some seasoning.
- I love a really classic taco salad, I don’t know why, but it’s a comfort food to me. You know the kind, the big ol’ fried tortilla bowl salad. But honestly, I just don’t feel as good eating fried food the older I get. To still get the flavor, use crunched up tortilla chips in the salad. It’s a fraction of the calories but you still get the satisfying crunch.
What Can You Substitute For Tomatillo?
You can substitute green tomatoes for tomatillos or if all else fails, half of a green pepper. If you don’t have either, it’s ok to skip it entirely in the dressing.
What Can You Substitute For Jalapeños?
The serrano chili is the best substitute for jalapeno. Serrano chili looks like a jalapeno and has a similar taste. Never substitute a habanero unless your mouth to be on fire.
Can You Use Rotisserie Chicken?
Absolutely. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut. Just toss it with taco seasoning before adding it to the salad.
Is Taco Salad A Side Dish?
Taco salad is usually considered a main dish, but you could make a smaller version on the side. Especially if you skip the meat.
Do You Serve Taco Salad With Warm Or Cold Meat?
You can serve taco salad with warm or cold meat. It’s all your own preference. I typically tend to use meat that’s closer to room temperature. I don’t love cold meat in a salad unless it’s a chopped salad.
Meal Prep Taco Salad
If you want to meal prep this recipe, cook the chicken, make the dressing, chop all the veggies and store everything separately. It is a great make ahead recipe! Then just assemble the amount of taco salad you want. I absolutely love this recipe for lunches throughout the week.
How Long Will Chicken Taco Salad Keep?
Taco salad can keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator, but never add the dressing or chips until you’re ready to serve.
Actually, we even prefer to keep the greens separated from the filling if we aren’t eating it all in one day.
Fresh, crunchy, and loaded with bold taco flavor, this Chicken Taco Salad is the kind of easy dinner you’ll keep coming back to all summer long. It’s fast to throw together and easy to customize and scale up or down depending on they size of your crowd.
If your house loves taco night as much as ours does, this salad is going to become a regular on your dinner rotation.
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