If I Could Eat One Salad Forever…
Okay, confession time—I never thought I’d crave a salad the way some folks crave, I don’t know, chocolate cake? But this Copycat Santa Fe Salad with Chicken has turned me into that person. The first time I had the original, I was in a noisy restaurant with sticky tables and the kind of air conditioning that makes napkins flutter, but wow. I was sold (and possibly a little too full). Ever since, I’ve been sprinting toward any excuse to recreate it at home. Plus, the leftovers are always my lunch the next day—unless my teenager gets to them first, which, between you and me, is usually the case.
Why I Keep Making This (And Why You’ll Probably Love It Too)
I make this when I want to feel like I’m eating something good for dinner, but also don’t want to chew endlessly on sad soggy lettuce. My family goes bananas for the crunchy tortilla strips (let’s not talk about the time I tried to use stale bagged chips—never again). And if I’m being honest, it’s way faster than it looks—sometimes I throw it together during a work call. Oh, and if you sauté the chicken while humming along to the radio, it seems to taste just a smidge better. Or that’s just me.
What You’ll Need (And What I Sometimes Swap)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if I’m being lazy, rotisserie chicken totally works here)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (canola is fine, my gran probably used whatever was on sale)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 large handfuls romaine lettuce, chopped (iceberg in a pinch, don’t tell the salad police)
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or even the awkward can at the back of your cupboard)
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (cheddar works fine too if that’s what’s hanging around the fridge)
- 1 large tomato, diced (or a handful of cherry tomatoes—no precise science!)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (or skip it if you’re onion-sensitive; no judgment)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (unless you’re a cilantro-hater—then just skip it, obviously)
- 1 avocado, sliced (unless they’re $3 each, in which case I sometimes skip, sigh)
- 1 cup crispy tortilla strips (homemade or store-bought—no one’s grading you)
- For the dressing: 1/3 cup ranch dressing, 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lime
How the Magic Happens (Don’t Blink or You’ll Miss It)
- First up, if you’re using raw chicken, rub the breasts with olive oil, chili powder, and cumin. Pan-fry over medium heat until cooked through—about 6-7 minutes per side. (If you’re using rotisserie, just chop it roughly and pretend you did all that work.) Let the chicken cool a bit and slice it thinly.
- While that’s happening, mix your ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and a squeeze of lime in a bowl. It’ll look a bit weird at first as it comes together, but that’s half the fun. Taste and adjust: more BBQ for sweetness, more lime for zip (is ‘zip’ a flavor? It is now!).
- Grab a giant salad bowl. I mean it—salads like this need room to breathe. Throw in the lettuce, black beans, corn, cheese, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Toss with your (hopefully generous) hands. I always make a mess at this stage—don’t worry, it’s required.
- Add the sliced chicken and avocado to the top (this is where I usually sneak a taste to see if it needs extra salt or pepper—as if I’m a real chef).
- Drizzle on your homemade dressing and toss lightly. If it feels like it’s falling apart, you’re doing it right. Scatter tortilla strips over everything, and there you go—restaurant vibes at home, no weird air conditioning required.
Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)
- If you use pre chopped lettuce, pat it dry—wet greens make for sad, droopy salads. Trust me, I’ve tried to skip this when I was tired. Regret.
- If you forget to let the chicken rest before slicing, it’ll lose those precious juices. But honestly, sometimes I’m just too hungry to care.
- You don’t have to make your own tortilla strips, but dang, it does taste better that way. Just fry up some thin strips of corn tortillas in a splash of oil if you’re feeling fancy. Or buy the bagged kind. The sky won’t fall.
Here’s What Else I’ve Tried (For Better or Worse)
- Swapped the cheese for feta one time—gave it a nice salty tang! It’s not traditional, but it worked.
- Tried grilled steak instead of chicken once. Actually, it works better if you stick with chicken or shrimp.
- Once made it totally vegetarian by leaving out the meat and adding roasted sweet potato cubes—my veggie-loving friend raved.
What You’ll Need (But You Can Still MacGyver It)
- A good-sized frying pan, preferably nonstick (but that one pan with a wobbly handle works just as well—just use a potholder, trust me.)
- A big salad bowl (or a mixing bowl you stole from the baking cupboard)
- Sharp knife (seriously, makes life easier but watch your fingers. Been there.)
- Tongs or those salad servers you pretend you don’t care about
How To Store (But Don’t Blink, It Goes Fast)
If you have leftovers (doubtful), store the undressed salad and chicken separately in airtight containers. The veggies can go mushy if dressed too far ahead. Actually, in my house it never lasts more than a day, so, problem solved.
How I Serve It (Other Than Straight from the Bowl)
I like to pile everything into those wide shallow bowls—you know, the ones that try to be both a plate and a bowl and end up living at the back of the cupboard most of the year. Or sometimes we scoop the salad up with more tortilla chips and pretend we’re at some fancy restaurant. My cousin swears by a few jalapeño slices on top, but I’m a mild-wimp, so, up to you.
Lessons Learned (Mostly the Hard Way)
- I once tried rushing the chicken and sliced it too early. Totally dry—do yourself a favor and let it rest. Just a few minutes makes the difference, I promise.
- Using old lettuce is a sure-fire way to ruin the magic (ask me how I know…)
Real Life FAQ (Or Things My Friends Have Actually Asked)
- Can I make this ahead for meal prepping? Yep! Just keep the dressing, crunchy bits, and avocado separate until the last minute. Otherwise, it gets a bit…floppy.
- What if I don’t like cilantro? Just leave it out—or try chopped parsley. No one’s policing your salad.
- Is there a dairy-free way to do the dressing? For sure. Try a vegan ranch, or mix some mashed avocado with lime and a splash of olive oil.
- Can I grill the chicken instead? Absolutely. In fact, that was my go-to back when our grill actually worked (it’s a little suspect these days, ha!).
- Will picky kids eat this? Mine mainly fish out the tortilla strips and cheese. But hey, it’s something!
Alright, that’s the (slightly rambling) story and science behind my Copycat Santa Fe Salad with Chicken. Do with it what you will! But definitely don’t skip the tortilla strips. Or, maybe you’ll invent your own spin? If so, let me know—unless it involves raisins. Please no raisins. Good luck, and save me some if you ever have leftovers!
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if I’m being lazy, rotisserie chicken totally works here)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (canola is fine, my gran probably used whatever was on sale)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 large handfuls romaine lettuce, chopped (iceberg in a pinch, don’t tell the salad police)
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or even the awkward can at the back of your cupboard)
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (cheddar works fine too if that’s what’s hanging around the fridge)
- 1 large tomato, diced (or a handful of cherry tomatoes—no precise science!)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (or skip it if you’re onion-sensitive; no judgment)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (unless you’re a cilantro-hater—then just skip it, obviously)
- 1 avocado, sliced (unless they’re $3 each, in which case I sometimes skip, sigh)
- 1 cup crispy tortilla strips (homemade or store-bought—no one’s grading you)
- For the dressing: 1/3 cup ranch dressing, 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lime
Instructions
-
1First up, if you’re using raw chicken, rub the breasts with olive oil, chili powder, and cumin. Pan-fry over medium heat until cooked through—about 6-7 minutes per side. (If you’re using rotisserie, just chop it roughly and pretend you did all that work.) Let the chicken cool a bit and slice it thinly.
-
2While that’s happening, mix your ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and a squeeze of lime in a bowl. It’ll look a bit weird at first as it comes together, but that’s half the fun. Taste and adjust: more BBQ for sweetness, more lime for zip (is ‘zip’ a flavor? It is now!).
-
3Grab a giant salad bowl. I mean it—salads like this need room to breathe. Throw in the lettuce, black beans, corn, cheese, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Toss with your (hopefully generous) hands. I always make a mess at this stage—don’t worry, it’s required.
-
4Add the sliced chicken and avocado to the top (this is where I usually sneak a taste to see if it needs extra salt or pepper—as if I’m a real chef).
-
5Drizzle on your homemade dressing and toss lightly. If it feels like it’s falling apart, you’re doing it right. Scatter tortilla strips over everything, and there you go—restaurant vibes at home, no weird air conditioning required.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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