Gaby’s Chicken Taco Salad
Hearty and delicious chicken taco salad loaded with taco seasoned ground chicken, juicy tomatoes, fresh corn, savory cheese and a wonderful cilantro vinaigrette. This protein-packed chicken taco salad recipe makes the perfect healthy lunch or side dish for your next BBQ!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 435cal
Ingredients
- For the chicken:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- For the salad:
- 3 heads baby romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese (or sub cojita)
- 2 ears of corn, shucked and corn kernels sliced off the cob
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and diced
- 3 scallions, sliced
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- A few tablespoons chopped or sliced red onion
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- For the cilantro vinaigrette*:
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves (stems removed)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette: add all ingredients for vinaigrette to a food processor and process until well combined.
- To make the chicken: heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until they are soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the ground chicken and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until fully cooked. Finally, add the taco seasoning and ¼ cup water, or as needed, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes while you assemble the salad.
- To make the salad: to assemble this salad in one large serving bowl, layer half of the lettuce on the bottom of the bowl followed by half of all of the other toppings. Add the second layer of lettuce on top and finish with the remaining toppings. Top with the cooked ground chicken and toss the salad together or drizzle salad with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Add more vinaigrette as needed and serve immediately. Serves 4-6.
Notes
*Feel free to double the dressing in this recipe if you'd like. Gaby's recipe doubles it!
Feel free to use my homemade taco seasoning recipe!
To make vegetarian: cook a package of firm tofu just as you would with the ground chicken. Or add quinoa, a can of chickpeas or another can of black beans.
Make it ahead of time: I'd recommend chopping all of your ingredients and making the dressing separately, then simply storing them in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the salad.
To store: store the salad in airtight containers in the fridge for about 2-3 days. I recommend enjoying it as soon as you can so that the romaine stays nice and crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servings (based on 6) | Calories: 435cal | Carbohydrates: 25.4g | Protein: 23.9g | Fat: 28.6g | Saturated Fat: 6.4g | Fiber: 9.7g | Sugar: 5.3g