What is a Santa Fe Salad made of?

A Southwest or Santa Fe salad is typically made with greens like romaine lettuce or green leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, green onions, corn, black beans, and avocado, and topped with tortilla chips. You can add grilled chicken on top to make it a meal, and pair it with Southwest salad dressing.

What's the difference between Southwest salad and Santa Fe salad?

A Sante Fe salad and Southwest salad are basically just different names for the same recipe. Both are hearty salads that are loaded with flavors well known to the Southwest region of the United States.

How do I store leftovers?

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s best to store leftover salad without salad dressing so the vegetables stay crisp. If the salad has been tossed in the dressing, it will last 1-2 days in the refrigerator.

Why is it called Santa Fe salad?

The Santa Fe salad gets its name from the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, home to some of the best Mexican and Southwestern cuisine in the country. It's a Tex-Mex inspired salad loaded with fresh vegetables, black beans, corn, avocado, and tortilla chips, and is typically topped with grilled chicken.

Santa Fe Salad

Name: Santa Fe Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; ½ teaspoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 8 cups romaine lettuce or mixed greens, chopped; 4 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed (can also use fresh corn); 1 avocado, seeded and diced; 1 cup crushed tortilla chips (optional); Southwest Salad Dressing or your favorite dressing

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Recipe

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Santa Fe Salad

This Santa Fe salad (Southwest salad) is what dreams are made of! It’s loaded with juicy chicken, fresh vegetables, avocado, corn, and black beans, and pairs perfectly with Southwest dressing. It’s protein-rich and full of flavor!

Prep: 10Cook: 16Total: 26 minutes

Servings: 4 1x

Ingredients

Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Salad:

8 cups romaine lettuce or mixed greens, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed (can also use fresh corn)
1 avocado, seeded and diced
1 cup crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Dressing:

Southwest Salad Dressing or your favorite dressing

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Instructions

Season: Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Combine all of the spices for the seasonings in a small bowl. Place the chicken on a plate and pat dry. Coat both sides of chicken with olive oil and rub with the seasoning.
Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 400°F. The grill needs to be hot when you add chicken, allowing it to sear and cook evenly. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F/75°C. Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Combine: Arrange the lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado, and tortilla chips in a large bowl or in four small bowls. Slice or cube the chicken and place it on the salad.
Dressing: Blend the dressing.
Serve: Top the salad with the dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

Optional toppings: Add shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or lime wedges.
To cook the chicken on the stovetop: Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Sear the seasoned chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F/75°C.
Meal prep: Make the dressing ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cook the chicken ahead of time, or use leftover or rotisserie chicken.
Vegetarian: You can easily omit the chicken for a vegetarian salad, or use roasted sweet potatoes in place of it.
Serving: This entire salad fits perfectly in a shallow 11-inch serving bowl.
Corn: Use frozen or canned corn, or grill fresh corn on the cob and slice it off for the salad.
To crush the tortilla chips: Break them into 1-2 inch pieces as you place them on the salad. I like to use Siete dip chips.

Recipe By: Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT

Find it online: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com/santa-fe-salad/