CHICKEN TACO SALAD RECIPE VIDEO
Why you will love this Chicken Taco Salad Bowl
Who loves taco salad? The crunchy lettuce and tortilla chips, the creamy avocados and cheese, the fresh corn and bell peppers – it is a texture lovers paradise. Once you swap your beef for chicken and you have true paradise because its practically guilt free plus hearty, satisfying and fresh! One of the most popular taco salad recipes is the combination of ground beef with Catalina Dressing. But seeing as this has been done again and again, I thought I’d bring you a different version – an elevated Chicken Taco Salad that is drop-your-jaw deeeeelicious. As in your jaw will drop in shock at just how good this salad is and it will drop to continuously shovel as much salad into your mouth as humanly possible.
The Best Chicken for Chicken Taco Salad
A CHICKEN Taco Salad is only as good as the chicken so I’ve created a spin off my favorite Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos to create this star Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe. This Cilantro Lime Chicken is wonderfully juicy, tangy and garlicky but not over-the-top flavorful, so it’s ready to get doused in our homemade intoxicatingly delicious Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing. I use chicken breasts because they emerge wonderfully juicy once marinated but you are welcome to use chicken thighs as well. You can even turn this into a shrimp or salmon taco salad and use the same tantalizing marinade.
How do I cook Chicken for Chicken Taco Salad?
You can grill or pan fry this Cilantro Lime Chicken, which means you can devour this Chicken Taco Salad year round. And you are going to want to devour it year round.
To Grill:
To Cook on the Stove Top:
What’s the Best Dressing for Chicken Taco Salad?
Chicken Taco Salad is often served with Catalina Dressing, but this isn’t just any Catalina Dressing, it is BAJA Catalina Dressing! What makes this zesty Catalina Dressing “Baja” style is the addition of one tablespoon of our reserved Catalina marinade which boasts cilantro, lime, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, etc. By reserving one tablespoon for our dressing, we are doubling the flavor without doubling the work.
Do I have to Add Mayonnaise?
The creamy aspect of the Catalina Dressing comes from whisking in both mayonnaise and sour cream to our Catalina Dressing. I love this creamilicoius twist but if you prefer more of a vinaigrette then feel free to replace the mayo/sour cream with canola oil. The dressing is super quick to whip up and the sweetness is a wonderful complement to the lime punch of the chicken, but just be aware that people seem to have a wide range of opinions as to how sweet Catalina Dressing should be, so you probably want to start with less sugar and add more to taste.
What Goes in Chicken Salad?
In addition to our juicy Cilantro Lime Chicken and Baja Catalina Dressing, this epic chicken salad is supported by an encore cast of:
crunchy lettuce juicy tomatoes sweet fresh corn creamy avocado hearty black beans cheese crunchy, salty tortilla chips
Once you toss all of these ingredients together you have tons of flavor and texture in every bite. That being said, these ingredients are just a guideline. You can use more or less of each ingredient, add other vegetables or omit some completely. The ingredient list is up to you to make it YOUR favorite Chicken Taco Salad!
How Do I serve Chicken Taco Salad?
There are three ways to serve Chicken Taco Salad:
Can I Make Chicken Taco Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes! Both the Cilantro Lime Chicken and the Catalina Dressing can be made and refrigerated ahead of time. All the fixings except the avocados can be chopped and stored in separate airtight containers so this Chicken Taco Salad can come together in a flash when you are ready to chow down. All that’s left to do is give them a toss to create the perfect compliment of textures and flavors in every Chicken Taco Salad bite! And then let your jaw drop…
Looking for more Chicken Salad Recipes?
Caprese Chicken Salad with Creamy Balsamic Reduction Dressing Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Cilantro Ranch Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch Teriyaki Chicken Salad with Pineapple Sesame Dressing Asian Salad (with Chicken) with Sriracha Peanut Dressing Greek Chicken Salad with Tzatziki Dressing and Pita Croutons Chipotle Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Mango Dressing Garden Caesar Salad with Lemon Basil Chicken Southwest Pepper Jack Salad with Chile Lime Chicken Chinese Chicken Salad Wraps
Want to try this Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad Recipe?
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