This post was sponsored by Heluva Good! Cheese as part of an Influence Central campaign and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
This Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad is full of healthy ingredients! Kale,vegetables, cheese, and chicken are chopped and combined, then topped with an incredibly delicious Cilantro Lime Avocado Puree!
As much as I love all things food, I rarely venture into salad making territory. Since my fiancé and I have both been working really hard at getting back in shape after a crazy couple of years with our kids, salads are back on regular rotation. Healthy living is something that has always been important to both of us, yet is incredibly easy to get off-track with.
Healthy recipes that are easy to make and full of flavor helps when it comes to staying on track. I love flavor, sauces and dressings, and cheese. My fiance loves kale and chicken. Put that all together and what do you get? A insanely delicious Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad. After eating huge bowl after huge bowl of this salad, I am convinced that anyone who tries it will love it.
Let’s get into the ingredients, shall well?
Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
The base of this salad is chopped kale. If you are absolutely, 110% convinced you don’t like kale, you can use chopped Romaine lettuce instead. My 9-year-old hates kale and was in complete shock that he ate it (and liked it) so you might want to give it a chance here too! There is also chili spiced chicken diced small, red peppers, corn, and black beans.
My favorite ingredient in this salad is the cheese! I use a Jalapeno Jack Heluva Good!® Block Cheese that I buy from Walmart. It’s easy to chop into small cubes and has the perfect flavor to mesh with the overall Southwestern vibe of this salad!
The icing on the cake (or rather, the dressing on the salad) is a Cilantro Lime Avocado Puree that is so good! I’m not even a fan of avocado, but love, love, love this! I can eat it straight off the spoon. And I do!
How to Make this Recipe
This salad might look like it takes a while to make, but it’s actually incredibly simple!
Prep!
It’s not called a chopped salad for nothing. Make sure you have your cutting board and a good knife handy. You will also need a medium skillet, a small bowl, and all of your ingredients.
Dice the chicken into small cubes, chop the kale into small pieces, and cut the Heluva Good! Jalapeno Jack cheese into small cubes.
Create!
Add 1 t of olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and 1/2 t of the chili powder. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, combine the corn, black beans, red pepper, and remaining 1/2 t of chili powder. Stir to combine.
To make the avocado puree, add the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, and agave to a blender cup. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until well combined and smooth.
Present!
Divide the kale, corn mixture, cheese, and chicken between 2 bowls. Top with 1-2 spoonfuls of the avocado puree, toss, and enjoy!
Heluva Good! Cheese
Heluva Good! cheese is make with milk and is gluten free. There is no trans fat and it’s a good source of protein as well as an excellent source of calcium. It comes in large variety of flavors that are perfect for so many different recipes and occasions.
You can find Heluva Good! cheese in the dairy aisle of grocery stores in parts NY, PA, CT, MA, OH, RI, FL, VA, MD, DE, and Washington D.C.
Be sure to grab a block of the Jalapeno Jack so you can make (and fall in love with) this Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad ASAP!
This Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad is full of healthy ingredients! Kale,vegetables, cheese, and chicken are chopped and combined, then topped with an incredibly delicious Cilantro Lime Avocado Puree!
- 3/4 lb chicken diced small
- 1 t extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper * to taste
- 1 t chili powder * divided
- 2 Cups kale chopped
- 1/2 Cup corn
- 1/2 Cup black beans
- 1/2 Cup red pepper diced small
- 1/4 Cup Heluva Good! Jalapeno Jack Cheese diced small
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 lime * juiced
- 1/4 Cup cilantro
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 T agave
- salt and pepper * to taste
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Add 1 t of olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and 1/2 t of the chili powder. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
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In a small bowl, combine the corn, black beans, red pepper, and remaining 1/2 t of chili powder. Stir to combine.
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To make the avocado puree, add the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, and agave to a blender cup. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until well combined and smooth.
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To serve, divide the kale, corn mixture, cheese, and chicken between 2 bowls. Top with 1-2 Tablespoons of the avocado puree.
** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.
Karyn says
What an amazing looking salad so fresh and tasty..a real summer dish now bring on the sun
Lauren says
Thank you! It’s been dreary here too and no end in sight 🙁
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
We eat salad every single evening and many times for lunch. I guess you could call us experts! Your salad looks and sound delicious. I really think the dressing you picked for it really compliments the ingredients.
Lauren says
I thought we ate a lot of salad! Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂
Ashley - Forking Up says
I love chopped salad–it’s so easy to get a little bit of everything in one bite! And that cheese is my favorite.
Lauren says
That’s exactly why I love chopped salad too!
Molly Kumar says
This looks so delicious and I love chicken salad. Love all the flavor combination you’ve used and would try this soon.
Lauren says
Thanks so much Molly!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
I sure do love a good chopped salad. The jalapeno jack cheese is an awesome addition! Southwestern flavors are the best!
Lauren says
Yes!! I love Southwestern evvvverything!!
Christine - Jar Of Lemons says
I’ve actually been looking for a new salad recipe for an upcoming gathering with friends, so this Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad is perfect!
Lauren says
Perfect! I hope everyone enjoys it!
Veena says
I really wish we could get Haluva good cheese here. I’ve tasted it before and it’s really good. I love using cheese in my salads too. This looks so pretty – yum..
Lauren says
Thank you Veena! Hopefully Heluva Good starts expanding – it’s my favorite!
Adriana says
This is cool I did not know Helluva Good had cheese too, I must try the cheese and yoru yummy salada soon =) Looks so appetizing.
Lauren says
So funny – I always forget they make dips! The cheese is the best! Thanks for stopping by!
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
I always have cheese in the house, it’s one of those things I don’t like to be out of. That sounds tasty. Hubby loves salads, I bet he’d enjoy this one.
Lauren says
Thank you! We are a house full of cheese addicts so I can totally relate to always having to have it on hand!
Pam says
Wow, that looks awesome. I love salads like this, especially during the summer months when I am craving fresh foods.
Lauren says
Thanks Pam!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
I’m so sad that Heluva Good cheese isn’t in my area. I’m hoping they go Nationwide soon! This chickpea salad looks awesome! I am always looking at ways to get more chickpeas into my diet and this is the perfect idea!
Lauren says
Ahh! That’s actually chicken but diced small that I think you are mistaking for chickpeas – but you could easily swap the two 🙂