Grilled Mexican Salad with Chicken and Creamy Jalapeño Dressing
This grilled Mexican salad is the perfect way to start grilling season. Juicy marinated chicken, smoky grilled corn, crisp lettuce and creamy avocado create the perfect mix of fresh flavors and crunchy textures. The creamy jalapeño dressing adds a little heat and brings everything together. Serve this grilled Mexican salad for backyard dinners, weekend cookouts, pool parties or easy summer meals with family and friends. You can even prepare most of it right on the grill while everyone relaxes outside and enjoys the nice weather.
This grilled Mexican salad is also part of my “5 Meals From One Chicken” series, where I show you how to turn one raw chicken into several easy homemade meals. Click here to learn how to cook five meals from one raw chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Grilled Salad
- Packed with flavor – This grilled Mexican salad combines juicy chicken, smoky grilled corn, sweet onions and crisp fresh vegetables. The creamy jalapeño dressing adds zesty, spicy and herby flavor to every bite.
- A satisfying meal – This salad offers the perfect mix of lean protein, fiber and healthy fats. The combination of fresh and grilled ingredients makes it filling without feeling heavy.
- Made with seasonal ingredients – Fresh summer produce gives this salad incredible flavor and texture. Sweet corn, ripe cherry tomatoes and fresh jalapeños make this recipe perfect for grilling season.
- Naturally gluten free – All the ingredients in this grilled Mexican salad are naturally gluten free. It is a great option for people who avoid gluten for health or personal reasons.
- Perfect for meal prep – You can marinate the chicken ahead of time and keep the dressing in the fridge until ready to serve. This makes the salad easy to prepare for busy weekdays or casual summer meals.
- Great for summer gatherings – This grilled Mexican salad is perfect for backyard cookouts, pool parties and family dinners outside. Everyone can help with grilling, setting the table and serving the fresh ingredients straight from the grill.
- Easy to serve for different occasions – Serve this grilled Mexican salad as a light meal, fresh side dish or colorful appetizer. It works well for both casual lunches and festive summer gatherings.
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Grill or grill pan
- Lime zester
- Lime juicer
- A sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Immersion blender
- Salad bowl
Please Note: Some of the links in this blog post are Amazon affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Food Kooky!
Helpful Tips for Making This Mexican Grilled Salad
- Use chicken breast or chicken thighs – I used boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe, but chicken thighs work well too.
- Pound uneven chicken breasts – Thick chicken breasts cook unevenly. Pound the thicker end slightly for more even cooking and juicier meat.
- Marinate the chicken for more flavor – If possible, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour before grilling. If you are short on time, season and cook it right away. It will still taste delicious.
- Use a food thermometer – Chicken breast dries out easily when overcooked. I recommend grilling it until it reaches 155°F. The temperature will continue to rise as the chicken rests.
- Rest the chicken before slicing – Let the grilled chicken rest for at least 10 minutes. This helps the juices stay inside the meat.
- Slice the chicken against the grain – Always slice the chicken perpendicular to the muscle fibers. This makes the meat more tender and easier to chew.
- Adjust the jalapeño to your taste – Some jalapeños are much spicier than others. Taste a small piece first. If the pepper is too hot, use only half to avoid overpowering the salad.
- Use parsley or cilantro – I used parsley because cilantro tastes like soap to me. If you love cilantro, feel free to use it instead. Both herbs work well in the creamy jalapeño dressing.
Serving and Storage
You can prepare several parts of this grilled Mexican salad ahead of time. Marinate the chicken, make the creamy jalapeño dressing and grill the vegetables in advance. Store everything separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the freshest texture, assemble and dress the salad right before serving. Once you add the dressing, the lettuce will slowly lose its crispness and become soggy.
Store leftover chicken, grilled vegetables and dressing separately in food-safe containers in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Shake or stir the dressing well before serving because some separation may occur during refrigeration.
Mexican Chicken Salad with Creamy Jalapeño Dressing
Equipment
- Immersion blender
- Grill or grill pan
Ingredients
For the chicken breast marinade
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano Mexican is best
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- one lime zest and juice
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil or oil that you prefer
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or oil that you prefer
- 1 Jalapeño pepper roasted seed and stem removed
- 1 bunch cilantro or parsley stems removed
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
For the salad
- 2 cups chopped lettuce of choice I used iceberg
- 1 red onion sliced to thick rounds
- 1 corn on the cob
- ½ cup canned red beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ large avocado or 1 small
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the chicken marinade
- Measure the spices for the chicken marinade (smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder salt and pepper).
- In a food safe dish add the spices, the avocado oil, the juice and the zest of one lime. Stir well and add the chicken breast. Coat the chicken breast with the marinade on each side.
Grill the chicken and vegetables
- Peel, trim the ends and slice the red onion to thick rounds.
- Preheat the grill (or grill pan) to medium high.
- Grill the chicken breast for about 3-4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) or until it reaches an internal temperature of 155℉. Rest it for 10 minutes before slicing. As the chicken rests it will reach an internal temperature of 165℉
- Grill the corn on the cob, sliced red onions and one jalapeño for about a 1-2 minutes per side. The grilled jalapeño goes into the dressing.
To prepare the dressing
- Remove the seeds and the skin of the roasted jalapeño.
- Add the sour cream, oil, parsley (cilantro), lime juice and the roasted jalapeño (without seeds) in a wide mouth jar. Add salt and pepper to taste.Insert an immersion blender in the jar to blend until smooth.
To prepare the salad
- Chop the lettuce, slice the cherry tomatoes in half (in needed). Cut off the corn from the cob slice the avocado in half.
- In a bowl or a dish of your choice place the chopped lettuce then arrange the vegetables (corn, grilled red onion, red beans, cherry tomatoes and sliced avocado).
- Slice the chicken breast thinly against the grain (perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibers). Place the chicken on top of the salad.
- Pour the dressing on top.
- Stir very well. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Serve right away.
Other Mexican recipes you might like
Easy Chorizo Taquitos (Oven and Air Frier Method)
