Mexican Chicken Salad Recipe: loaded with tons of veggies and topped with spicy tomato ranch dressing. This is not your average Grilled Chicken Salad recipe!

Overhead shot of grilled chicken salad with a side of dressing.

Why We Love This Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe

Doesn’t it look glorious?

I mean, really. Have you ever seen a more satisfying looking salad?

We’ve been taking measures lately, to make sure we include more and more fresh raw produce into our diet. I would guess we enjoy a “dinner salad” at least twice a week, if not more.

I also try to eat at least one raw vegetable dish a day, so often I enjoy a salad at lunch. Yet to keep this up, my salads need to be exciting.

There’s something marvelous about cool crisp veggies topped with hot protein, don’t you think? If I could demonstrate how I want to eat (all the time right now) on one platter, it would be this Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad.

Veggies, veggies, and more veggies, topped with juicy seasoned grilled chicken, bacon, and crumbly cheese. Then smothered in a creamy spicy tomato ranch dressing.

That pretty much covers it.

Mexican Salad Ingredients 

Here’s what you need to make this fabulous salad…

  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast – boneless and skinless makes the chicken healthier
  • Old El Paso Taco Seasoning incredible for great flavor with little effort!
  • Romaine Lettuce the cool crunchy base of the recipe 
  • Grape or Cherry tomatoes cut in halves to make them easier to enjoy
  • Avocados peeled, pitted, and sliced for presentation and for a creamy texture in the salad
  • Fresh Corn Kernels you can use the canned version of you like, but fresh corn always tastes best
  • Cooked Crumbled Baconbecause bacon makes everything better 
  • Green Onionsfinely chopped for a crunchy pop of flavor
  • Crumbled Queso Fresco Cheese a classic crumbly cheese sprinkled on many mexican dishes
  • Thick Ranch Dressing from the refrigerated section, not the dry goods section
  • Fresh Spicy Salsaadded to the ranch dressing to create an amazing mexican dressing

How to Make Mexican Chicken Salad

The beauty of this avocado chicken salad is that it’s not only healthy and delicious, it’s also so darn easy to prepare.

Sprinkle zippy Old El Paso Taco Seasoning over the chicken. This eliminates the need for all sorts of herbs and spices in one fell swoop.

The taco seasoning coats the chicken, creating a vibrant crusty finish once the chicken is grilled.

Just look…

  1. For the salad, pile the steaming chicken on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce and cuddled it up with ripe avocado and sweet grape tomatoes.
  2. Then sprinkle fresh corn, crumbled bacon, chopped scallions, and crumbled queso fresco over the entire Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad like magic flavor confetti! (I kind of sprinkled it all over the floor as well. All these ingredients were a little too exciting if you know what I mean.)

Our Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad is truly a feast for all five senses. It’s an aromatic, crunchy, and colorful dinner option that is perfect for spring and summer cooking.

Finished with a simple 2-ingredient spicy tomato ranch dressing, this grilled chicken salad is at the very top of my shortlist right now.

See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe. Enjoy! 

Mexican Chicken Salad with chicken, bacon, corn, tomatoes, avocado and queso fresco on a large plate.

Mexican Salad Tips & Variations

  • Greens: Feel free to switch out the romaine lettuce for your favorite kind of greens! You can use a spring mix, iceberg lettuce, kale, or simply spinach.
  • Chicken: Chicken breast can be substituted with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or make a bigger switch to salmon or shrimp! For a vegetarian Mexican salad, omit the bacon and chicken and add black beans.
  • Toppings: Tomatoes, corn and green onions are mush haves here. But you can switch out the queso fresco for shredded mozzarella or cheddar! Add extra veggies like cucumber, olives or even some pickled jalapeños.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does This Recipe Last?

If you store the chicken apart from the other ingredients of the salad, it will stay fresh in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. The salad greens and vegetables can last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. 

What Is Queso Fresco?

Queso Fresco is a crumbly Mexican Cheese that is translated as ‘Fresh Cheese’. It is traditionally made from cow’s milk and is aged for just a short time to give it that fresh taste!

You can find this cheese in the dairy section or cheese section in your grocery store. Or if there is a Mexican market near you they will most definitely have it.

Mexican Chicken Salad - Hand holding tongs to mix together the salad before serving.

Other Great Salad Recipes To Try

Check the printable recipe card below for the prep time, cook time, total time, and nutrition information. Make sure to share this recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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Mexican Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe: loaded with veggies and topped with spicy tomato ranch dressing. This is not your average Grilled Chicken Salad recipe!
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 packet Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 avocados, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 1 cup cooked crumbled bacon
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
  • 1 cup thick ranch dressing, from the refrigerated section
  • 1/2 cup fresh spicy salsa

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and sprinkle with Old El Paso Taco Seasoning. Turn to coat the chicken on all sides. Chop the lettuce and prep all other vegetables.
  • Grill the chicken for 5 minutes per side. Then allow the chicken to rest for at least five minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, place the ranch dressing and the salsa in the blender and puree until smooth.
  • Pile the chopped lettuce on a large platter. Slice the chicken and arrange over the lettuce. Then arrange the sliced avocados and tomatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle the corn, chopped green onions, crumbled bacon and queso fresco over the entire salad. Serve immediately with a side of spicy tomato ranch dressing.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 8ounces, Calories: 527kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 1290mg, Potassium: 1481mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 19515IU, Vitamin C: 40.8mg, Calcium: 169mg, Iron: 4.1mg
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Sommer Collier
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old El Paso. All opinions are my own.

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