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Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad

Tex-Mex chopped chicken salad with charred corn, black beans, and creamy avocado in a crunchy tortilla bowl. Toss crisp romaine with shredded chicken, lime-ranch dressing, and taco seasoning for a bright, light main.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 2 cup cooked shredded chicken
  • 4 cup chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen; char before assembling.
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 1 avocado, diced
  • 0.5 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Crispy tortilla strips
  • 1 crispy tortilla strips Add right before serving to keep them crunchy.
Lime ranch dressing
  • 0.5 cup ranch dressing
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning

Method
 

Build the salad
  1. Toss the chopped romaine lettuce in a large bowl until evenly mixed with the volume of greens.
  2. Top with charred corn, black beans, diced red bell pepper, diced avocado, diced red onion, and shredded chicken to create colorful layers.
  3. Sprinkle over the shredded cheddar cheese and chopped fresh cilantro so the toppings are distributed across the bowl.
Make the lime ranch dressing
  1. Whisk ranch dressing, lime juice, and taco seasoning in a separate bowl until the dressing is smooth and evenly colored.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until the chicken and lettuce are lightly coated without smashing the avocado.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately topped with crispy tortilla strips for maximum crunch.

Notes

For the best charred corn flavor, use a hot dry skillet or grill until you see brown spots before assembling. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days, but keep tortilla strips separate and add fresh when serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because lettuce and avocado break down. If you want a lighter option, use Greek-yogurt ranch or low-fat ranch in the dressing.