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Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing Recipe

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3.9 from 233 reviews

A vibrant and flavorful Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad featuring tender marinated chicken, fresh vegetables, black beans, sweet corn, creamy cheddar, and crunchy tortilla chips, all tossed in a zesty and creamy Baja Catalina dressing. Perfect for a quick, nutritious, and satisfying meal in just 25 minutes.

Ingredients

Cilantro Lime Chicken

  • 1 Recipe Cilantro Lime Chicken (prepared separately)

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or 2 roma tomatoes, chopped)
  • 1 orange or red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Corn from 2 ears sweet corn, raw
  • 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese (or more to taste)
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • Tortilla chips, slightly crushed or tortilla strips, to taste (the more the better!)

Baja Catalina Dressing

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar (start with less and adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (may substitute with yogurt)
  • 1 tablespoon reserved Cilantro Lime Marinade (reserved from chicken recipe)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cilantro Lime Chicken: Follow your favorite Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe and cook it thoroughly, reserving 1 tablespoon of the marinade before cooking. Once cooked, slice or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, red wine vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), and the reserved 1 tablespoon of Cilantro Lime Marinade. Mix until smooth and well combined. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to develop flavors. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
  3. Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, black beans, raw corn kernels, grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped avocados, and slightly crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips.
  4. Toss and Serve: Toss the salad ingredients gently to mix. Drizzle each individual serving with the desired amount of the creamy Baja Catalina dressing. Season with additional salt, pepper, hot sauce, and/or lime juice according to taste and preference. Serve immediately to maintain freshness and crunch.

Notes

  • The Cilantro Lime Chicken should be prepared separately; reserve some marinade before cooking for the dressing.
  • Adjust sugar in the dressing to your preferred sweetness level.
  • You can substitute sour cream in the dressing with plain yogurt for a lighter option.
  • Use fresh corn for a sweeter and crunchier texture, but canned or frozen corn may be used if needed, drained well.
  • Adding tortilla chips or strips just before serving prevents sogginess.
  • The dressing tastes best chilled and can be stored refrigerated for up to a week.

Find it online: https://recipethrive.com/cilantro-lime-chicken-taco-salad-with-creamy-baja-catalina-dressing-recipe/