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We know salads can have a bad reputation. But this Summer Southwest Salad with light cilantro lime dressing is full of flavor and far from boring!
Salads are one of our go-to meals in the summer because they are light and super easy to change up with toppings. There are so many variations you can make with a bed of lettuce! Right now, we are loving this Summer Southwest Salad with a homemade light cilantro lime dressing.
We tossed together fresh lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, fresh grilled corn sliced straight from the cob and topped with chipotle chicken tenders. A light drizzle of our super simple, healthy cilantro lime dressing ties all the flavors together!
We love that this salad can be built up with toppings and served as main entrée or can be easily shared with a group as an appetizer. The abundance of toppings on this southwest salad add a variety of flavor. It is light, fresh and currently one of our favorite salads at the moment.
Summer Southwest Salad with Light Cilantro Lime Dressing
What’s in this salad?
Spring Mix: We used spring mix as the base. We thought it was a good choice because it adds a variety of fresh greens and doesn’t have a strong flavor like arugula or kale.
Chopped veggies: The salad is topped with fresh chopped bell peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes which add a different textures and flavors.
Fresh grilled corn: In our opinion, the fresh char-grilled corn on the cob is the key ingredient that makes the salad so great. We prefer the almost buttery taste of fresh corn vs canned corn for this recipe.
Chipotle chicken tenders: You can’t have a southwest salad without chipotle chicken! We seasoned chicken tenders with a spice mixture of cumin, paprika, chipotle powder, thyme and oregano to create a nice chipotle rub.
Light Cilantro Lime Dressing: This is our new favorite salad dressing for two reasons. One, because the flavor is so robust and two because it is a lighter alternative to store-bought dressings.
How to Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing
First, you’ll need a high powered food processor (like this one). Trust us, we used a mini food processor for years and when we finally got a large one, it was a total game changer!
Then, add avocado, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper to the food processor. You will want to puree the mixture until it’s a smooth consistency.
If you find that the dressing is too thick, add water by the tablespoon to make the consistency thinner. We added about 4 Tbsp because we liked our dressing, because we wanted it more on the thin side.
This post is all about how to make Summer Southwest Salad.
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Summer Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Total Time: 43 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
We know salads can have a bad reputation. But this Summer Southwest Salad with light cilantro lime dressing is full of flavor and far from boring!
Ingredients
- 1 box spring greens mix
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- 12 cherry tomatoes (sliced, halved)
- 1 avocado (sliced)
- 1/2 purple onion (sliced)
- 2 fresh corn cobs (roasted or grilled)
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp oregano (dried)
Light Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 1 avocado
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 limes (juiced)
- 4 tbsp water ((if needed to thin dressing))
- salt and pepper (to season)
Instructions
- Start by preheating oven to 350°F for cooking the corn cobs. Once oven is preheated, place corn cobs with husks on the oven rack. Cook for 30 minutes.
- While the corn cobs are cooking, start preparing your chicken. In a small bowl mix together rubbing spices – cumin, paprika, chipotle powder, salt, garlic powder, thyme, oregano. Place chicken tenders in a bowl, sprinkle spices over chicken and rub with hands to make sure all tenders are evenly coated with chipotle spices.
- Heat skillet to medium high heat, lightly grease with butter or coconut oil so chicken does not stick. Place chicken in pan and cook about 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through.
- After corn is done cooking, slice from the cob. Prepare your other toppings, slice onions, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, avocado.
- Lastly, make your dressing. In a food processor, add avocado, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Puree until a smooth consistency. Add water by the tablespoon to thin to the consistency you prefer. We added about 4 Tbsp because we liked our dressing a bit thinner.
- Place toppings on your beds of lettuce, drizzle with dressing and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad
- Cuisine: American, healthy dinner
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