• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Savory Nothings logo

  • Recipe Index
    • Easy Dinner Recipes
      • Slow Cooker
      • One Pot Meals
      • Quick Meals
      • Instant Pot
    • Side Dishes
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Small Meals
  • Dinner Ideas
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Easter
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • About
  • Subscribe
×

Home / Recipes / Small Meals / Lunch / The Ultimate Chicken Taco Salad

The Ultimate Chicken Taco Salad

45 mins
| Leave a Comment | Jump to Recipe 08/20/19 | Updated: 05/14/20 | by Nora

This is the ULTIMATE Chicken Taco Salad! Make it for lunch or as a light dinner – your family will love it.

It’s quick and easy to put together, full of healthy vegetables, lean proteins and good fats AND you can make it ahead if you need to!

Chicken Taco Salad Image TK
Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings

A Note from Nora

We love salad for dinner when it’s hot outside – and this Chicken Taco Salad has been one of my favorites during this crazy dry summer.

We usually do a big communal platter in the middle of the table, and then everyone takes what they like and drizzles their own dressing. So easy!

chicken taco salad on a wooden plate

How to make a Chicken Taco Salad

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins

Read on for the detailed step-by-step ingredients and instructions, or scroll down for tips and the printable recipe card.

What goes in a taco salad?

close up photo of chicken taco salad

There is no hard and fast rule about what goes into a taco salad. Just stuff you would also add to a taco shell 😂

What is in a taco salad at Taco Bell?

Did Taco Bell start the taco salad fad?

Well, this is what they add to theirs:

  • ground beef
  • lettuce
  • tomatoes
  • rice
  • refried beans
  • salsa
  • sour cream
  • cheese
  • red strips (which are just red tortilla strips, but they scare me 😂)

You’ll notice that mine looks kind of different, ahem.

  • there’s shredded chicken vs ground beef
  • there’s more veggies
  • I really don’t like rice in salads
  • or refried beans
  • or sad-looking cheese
  • or scary red strips

I might be a bit of a picky eater.

So here is what goes into my chicken taco salad:

  • lettuce
  • shredded red cabbage
  • diced tomatoes
  • diced red pepper
  • sweet corn
  • black beans (I cook my own, but canned works in a pinch)
  • olives
  • avocado
  • tortilla chips that are not red
  • a yummy dressing

How do you season taco meat?

You’re going to need to make some taco meat for this salad.

I usually use my Instant Pot Salsa Chicken. But if you want to use your own recipe, please go ahead! You can also use rotisserie chicken, grill some chicken breast or even use ground beef. Whatever you have on hand and/or like best!

Whenever I make tex-mex inspired food, I season meat with my homemade taco seasoning. So easy to make, convenient to keep on hand AND you know exactly what’s in it.

salsa chicken in the instant pot
my Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

homemade taco seasoning on a spoon
my Homemade Taco Seasoning

How to switch up your taco salad:

You can easily change up this salad to make it your own!

Here are a few ideas:

  • use browned ground beef in place of the shredded chicken
  • skip the meat altogether and make it vegetarian by adding a second kind of beans
  • add roasted red peppers for extra flavor
  • add Cojita or crumbled feta cheese
  • make a creamy avocado dressing instead of slicing the avocado on top

Let me know in a comment how you switched up this recipe – I’d love to hear!

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1

The first thing you need to do for this chicken taco salad is prep your protein.

Go ahead and make my instant pot salsa chicken, or my southwestern crockpot chicken would be awesome, too.

You can also rub taco seasoning on chicken and grill it, or use ground beef to make some taco meat.

Whatever you prefer, get your protein going before you do anything else.

Step 2

Once you have your protein figured out, you can whip up the salad dressing.

It’s a super simple vinaigrette-type dressing with lime juice and oregano. But you can use any tex-mex inspired dressing you like.

Sometimes I even make White Balsamic Vinaigrette for this salad when I’m too lazy to squeeze limes. Shhh… Don’t tell.

Step 3

Next, prep all your veggies.

ingredients for chicken taco salad

If you want to make this ahead, hold the avocado and slice that one just before serving.

Step 4

Finally, assemble the whole salad.

lettuce on a wooden platter
Lettuce first.
chicken taco salad on a wooden plate
Then, arrange everything else on top.
pouring dressing on chicken taco salad
Drizzle with the dressing right before serving, or let everyone drizzle their own dressing.

If you don’t want to have a communal sharing platter, you can also make a salad bar where everyone assembles their own salads – even easier!

chicken taco salad on a wooden plate

How do you meal prep a chicken taco salad?

This salad can be made ahead for quick lunches, or for super quick dinners on nights you have no time at all.

Here’s how to do it:

  • cook and cool your protein, then chill it in the fridge in a closed container until you’re ready to use it
  • prep all the veggies EXCEPT for the avocado and keep them chilled in the fridge in a covered container
  • keep the chips in the bag in your pantry until you assemble the salad – if they come in touch with the veggies they’ll get soft super fast
  • shake up the dressing in a mason jar and keep it closed in the fridge as well
  • when you’re ready to eat, slice the avocado and assemble the salad

I have never tried keeping the ingredients prepped for more than 2 days, so that’s all I can recommend.

You can also assemble the salad into meal prep containers and keep them closed in the fridge with a little dressing container tucked inside for extra-easy school or work lunches.

If you want to bring some tortilla chips along, it’s best to add them to a separate little bag or container, or they might soften from being in a closed container with the vegetables.

What is a good side dish for taco salad?

I don’t always feel happy when I have tortilla chips and black beans as my sole sources of starchy carbs (I know, weird, right? I just don’t fill up on chips, they’re more of a topping to me.)

A few of our favorite things to have with taco salad:

  • sweet potato fries
  • no knead bread
  • churro French toast from the waffle maker for dessert (counts, right?!)

Let me know if you have any other great ways to bulk up a taco salad!

Grab the printable recipe for the ultimate chicken taco salad here:

Printable Recipe Card
Chicken Taco Salad Image TK
Save Recipe Saved!

The Ultimate Chicken Taco Salad

This is the ULTIMATE Chicken Taco Salad! Make it for lunch or as a light dinner – your family will love it.
Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings
made it? tap the stars to add your rating!
No ratings yet
Print Add Review

Recipe details

Prep 15 mins
Cook 30 mins
Total 45 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 

For the meat:

  • 1 batch salsa chicken or equivalent rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken or taco meat

For the dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

  • 6 cups shredded lettuce
  • ½ cup cooked black beans
  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage
  • ½ cup sweet corn kernels
  • ½ pound tomatoes diced
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1 small avocado diced
  • ⅓ cup black olives sliced
  • Tortilla chips

Instructions
 

  • Make the chicken according the the recipe instructions.
  • Shake together all ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar.
  • Place the lettuce on a large platter. Arrange all other salad ingredients and the shredded chicken on top. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.
Want to save this recipe?Create an account for free to start your personal recipe box. Save any recipe by tapping the heart in the bottom right corner.
Join Now

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 32gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1102mgPotassium: 1555mgFiber: 12gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3155IUVitamin C: 87mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American

Try these salad recipes next:

blt pasta salad in a glass bowl

BLT Pasta Salad

5 from 5 votes
overhead view of white bowl with tomato cucumber avocado salad

Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

4.90 from 29 votes
close up photo of bacon ranch pasta salad

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

5 from 12 votes
Spinach Avocado Salad in a white bowl with a black napkin.

Spinach Avocado Salad with Berries

5 from 2 votes
overhead view of greek orzo salad in white bowl

Greek Orzo Salad

4.95 from 17 votes

More salad dressings:

homemade ranch salad dressing pouring from glass measuring jug over salad ingredients

Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing

5 from 3 votes
overhead view of greek salad dressing in glass measuring jug amidst fresh parsley, olives, tomatoes, red onion and halved lemon

Greek Salad Dressing

5 from 12 votes
Spooning Honey Mustard Salad Dressing from a glass jar.

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

5 from 6 votes
overhead view of lemon poppy seed salad dressing in glass measuring jug on plate with strawberries and cucumbers

Lemon Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

5 from 10 votes
overhead view of balsamic vinaigrette dressing in glass measuring jug

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

4.88 from 16 votes
overhead view of balsamic vinaigrette in glass measuring jug

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

5 from 24 votes

Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings
About Nora 
When I got married to my professional chef husband, I realized I had to step up my game in the kitchen. Now I share my favorite foolproof family recipes here on Savory Nothings: Chef-approved, kid-vetted and easy enough for everyday home cooks like you and me!   Learn more.

Reader Interactions

female hand holding cute halloween cookie

< Previous Post

chocolate chip zucchini muffin with a bite taken out

Next Post >

Add a Review or Ask a Question Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Made this recipe? Rate it:




Primary Sidebar

Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings

welcome to

logo for the Savory Nothings brand

Hi, I'm Nora! I wasn't always a good cook, but then I fell in love with a professional chef and learned my way around the kitchen. Now I share all my secrets to effortlessly great food here on my blog, bite-sized for home cooks just like me and you.

More about me →

Easter Recipes

  • Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
  • Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake
  • Honey Roasted Carrots
  • Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

see all >

Popular

  • Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
  • Oven Baked Chicken Breast
  • Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
  • TikTok Baked Oats: 6 Ways!
  • One Pot Rigatoni Bolognese
  • Southwestern Crockpot Chicken Tacos
  • Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
  • Whole Wheat Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread

Trending on Pinterest

  • Balsamic Chicken Marinade
  • Swedish Meatballs
  • Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
  • Instant Pot Pot Roast
  • Homemade Salisbury Steak
  • About
  • Contact

Footer

Footer

Follow Along













Recipes

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Sides
Dessert
Appetizers

Instant Pot
Slow Cooker
One Pot
Casseroles
Ground Beef
Chicken

Featured On

different logos of publications Savory Nothings' content has been featured on

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Work with Us

Copyright Savory Nothings © 2023

Made with lots of love and spices ♥︎
PRIVACY POLICY | ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT |
As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Yummly
  • Mix