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Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad

Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad layers smoky lime-kissed chicken over crisp greens with sweet corn, black beans, and crunchy taco chips. Creamy ranch blended with chunky salsa adds a tangy, peppery kick that ties everything together, balanced by sharp Cheddar and fresh cilantro. Ideal for a hearty lunch or a light dinner when you want big, fresh flavors in a single bowl.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook10 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyEasy
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

54 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
52 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
29 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
91 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

30
Heart Health
75
Metabolic
56
Digestive
39
Inflammatory
57
Performance
54
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Combine lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a resealable plastic bag with the chicken breasts. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

  2. 2

    Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grate.

  3. 3

    Grill the chicken on the preheated grill until the juices no longer run pink, about 5 minutes per side. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then roughly chop and refrigerate.

  4. 4

    In a large bowl, toss together romaine lettuce, baby greens, corn, Cheddar cheese, black beans, and cucumber. Set aside.

  5. 5

    Stir together ranch dressing, salsa, and cilantro in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Sprinkle the salad with crushed taco chips and diced chicken, and serve immediately.

About This Recipe

Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad is made with 16 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 25 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Beans, Chicken Breast, Chili Powder, and Chunky Mild Salsa. Each serving provides about 777.41 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad made of?
The main ingredients are Black Beans, Chicken Breast, Chili Powder, Chunky Mild Salsa, Corn. The full list of 16 is above.
How long does it take to make Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad?
About 25 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 10 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 777.41 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 16 ingredients and 5 steps.
Is Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad healthy?
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad has an easyChef Pro health score of 54/100. Per serving, it provides 777.41 calories and 43.39 g of protein, or 87% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1233.09 mg (54% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 9.13 g (46% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Corn, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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