Chipotle Chicken Salad packs a punch with smoky chipotle dressing, tender chicken, crisp corn, creamy avocado, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.
Chipotle Chicken Salad
After nailing my copycat Chipotle vinaigrette, I can’t stop making it! A double batch lives in my fridge every week, and not a drop goes to waste.
I first drizzled it over my quinoa corn salad, but I wanted something heartier. So, I created this salad with chicken and beans for extra staying power.
The result? An incredibly delicious, texture-packed salad! Crunchy cabbage, crisp romaine, creamy avocado, tender chicken, and sweet corn—all tied together with that amazing dressing!
Ingredients
Here’s what makes Chipotle Chicken Salad so good:
- Green cabbage: Crunchy and pairs well with romaine.
- Romaine lettuce: Choose firm, crisp, dark green leaves.
- Black beans: Use canned or homemade if you’re up for it!
- Corn: Fresh is my favorite, but frozen or canned works too.
- Red onion: Soak in salted ice water for 10 minutes to tame the bite.
- Cilantro: Swap with green onions if preferred.
- Chicken: Rotisserie makes it fast and flavorful.
- Avocado: Adds creamy texture—ripe should feel like the tip of your nose!
- Pepitas: Dry roasted and lightly salted add the best crunch.
The Dressing
This bold, smoky dressing brings this Chipotle Chicken Salad to life!
- Chipotle Pepper: Adds heat and depth—start small and adjust from there.
- Blend Well: Blend until smooth and creamy, ensuring the pepper is fully mixed in.
- Heat Intensifies: The longer it sits, the spicier it gets.
- Too Spicy? A little extra honey helps balance the heat.
Quick Tip
Freeze Extra Peppers
- Spread peppers with sauce 1-inch apart on a lined pan and freeze for 1 hour.
- Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 6 months.
- Thaw at room temp for 15–20 minutes before using.
Chipotle Chicken Salad Prep Tips
- Skip the chopping: Use packaged coleslaw instead of cabbage.
- Easy Chicken: Use pre-shredded rotisserie or pre-grilled chicken.
- Pre-diced onion: Many grocery stores sell it in the produce section—great for saving time.
- Dry fast: A salad spinner quickly removes excess water, keeping your salad crisp, not soggy!
How To Prepare The Corn
Fresh, frozen (thawed & charred), or canned (drained) all work in this Chipotle Chicken Salad!
- Raw: Cut from the cob and toss it in.
- Pan-Charred (Canned or Frozen): Melt 2 tbsp butter in a hot pan. Cook corn for 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until browned. Season with salt & pepper and let cool.
- Grilled: Brush husked corn with oil, season lightly, and grill at 400°F, turning every 3 minutes until browned (about 12 minutes). Let cool, then cut off the cob.
Storage
Storing Chipotle Chicken Salad
- Salad is best eaten right away after adding dressing.
- To keep leftovers, store everything separately in the fridge.
- Avocado tip: Use what you need, store the rest in a bag in the fridge, and slice off any browned parts before using.
More Salad Recipes
- Winter Chicken Salad with a citrus dressing
- Taco Pasta Salad with a creamy chili-lime dressing
- Brussel Sprouts Salad with apple cider dressing
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with a lemon dressing
- Garbanzo Bean Salad with an Italian-inspired dressing
Chipotle Chicken Salad
Chipotle Chicken Salad brings the heat with smoky chipotle-lime dressing, tender chicken, sweet corn, creamy avocado, and a satisfying crunch from pumpkin seeds.
Equipment
- Small blender
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onions
- 1 ear corn or 3/4 cup canned or frozen corn
- 1 large avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup pepitas
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic coarsely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper with surrounding sauce, see note 1
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Dressing: Zest the lime (1/2 teaspoon) and juice it (1 tablespoon). Blend all dressing ingredients until completely smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a sealed mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use. (The heat from the chipotle intensifies as it sits.)
- Prepare the Corn (choose one method):Raw: Cut kernels off the cob—no cooking needed.Pan-Charred (Canned/Frozen): Melt 1 tbsp butter in a hot pan. Add corn and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Season with salt & pepper. Let cool.Grilled: Brush husked corn with oil, season lightly, and grill at 400°F, turning every 3 minutes until browned (about 12 minutes). Let cool, then cut off the cob.
- Chop romaine and cabbage. Wash and dry completely (a salad spinner helps) to avoid a soggy salad.
- In a large bowl, combine the romaine, cabbage, chicken, black beans, red onion, corn, cilantro, and avocado.
- For the best texture, add the dressing just before serving (see note 2). Shake dressing, drizzle desired amount over the salad (you'll likely have extras), toss, and serve immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Grab a can of chipotles in adobo from the international aisle. Use 1 heaping tablespoon (1 pepper with surrounding sauce). Freeze leftovers by placing peppers on a parchment-lined pan, freezing for 1 hour, then transferring to a freezer bag. Store for up to 6 months.
Note 2: If not eating immediately, store the dressing and avocado separately.
Storage: The salad lasts up to 3 days in the fridge without dressing or avocado. Leftover dressing lasts 1 week in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 1288mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 15291IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This salad was delicious, thank you for the recipe! As it was a last minute recipe for my I was missing a bunch of ingredients so I can’t wait to try again the “right” way!
I didn’t have chipotle peppers in adobo so I used some tamale sauce (enchilada would work too) and a small roasted jalapeno. I think that worked pretty well too!
For a vegetarian option, I grabbed the frozen Gardein Chipotle Lime Chik’n fingers and they were perfect after crisping up the in air fryer.
Thanks so much for sharing your tips! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Danielle! 🙂
This dressing is wonderful. I added A4 not more honey and chipotle. Great fresh flavors
Yum! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Jane! 🙂
This salad and the beans are SO tasty, thank you!! How long can extra dressing stay in the fridge for? Thanks!!
up to a week 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!