If you are looking for a salad that eats like a meal, this Cowboy Chicken Salad is it! Smoky seasoned chicken, crisp lettuce, sweet corn, black beans, avocado, diced jalapeños, bacon, and Monterey Jack cheese are tossed in my homemade Cowboy Butter Ranch Dressing. Then, I top the salad with homemade croutons (my favorite!) and more jalapeños, packing every bite with bold flavor. Don’t forget a squeeze of fresh lime for the perfect finishing touch! If you love hearty salads like this one, check out my Avocado Chicken Salad for another flavor-packed meal!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the salad. Before cooking the chicken, pound each chicken breast to an even thickness; this allows for even cooking. Season the chicken with salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and optional cayenne pepper for a little added heat! Chicken thighs would also be delicious. Just make sure they are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Lettuce: Although I used Romaine lettuce, you can easily swap it for other greens. Iceberg lettuce is crisp and refreshing; green leaf or red leaf lettuce is soft with a slight sweetness, while butter lettuce is tender and a little buttery. Spinach adds extra nutrients and a slightly earthy taste, and mixed greens give you a variety of flavors and textures. I like to mix and match my favorite greens for the perfect salad!
- Salad Mix-ins: To the salad, I added cherry tomatoes, a shallot, sweet corn, black beans, avocado, Monterey Jack cheese, jalapeño peppers (plus more for topping), and crispy thick-cut bacon! Feel free to mix it up with your favorite add-ins—think bell peppers, sliced radishes, or even crushed tortilla chips or fried wonton strips for extra crunch!
- Dressing: Besides all of the deliciously fresh ingredients in this salad, it is really all about my homemade cowboy butter ranch dressing, made with my super popular cowboy butter! It is a flavorful take on my homemade ranch dressing, which is delicious on its own, too!
- Croutons: Okay, if you love croutons, you will HAVE to make my buttery homemade croutons. You will never want to buy them from the store again. And, they sometimes don’t even make it to my salad–I can eat them by the handful! Seriously, they are so good.
- Lime Wedges: I love a lime wedge for adding a little freshly squeezed lime juice to my salad. It adds a tang to each bite, but the salad is still delicious without it!
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken In A Cowboy Chicken Salad
Yes, you can use rotisserie chicken! It’s a quick and tasty option. (And, I have a flavorful homemade rotisserie chicken you can use.) Since it’s already seasoned, you don’t need much, but adding a little extra smoked paprika, garlic powder, or chili powder can help the chicken taste like the rest of the salad. Just don’t add too much, since the chicken already has some flavor!
Other Dressings You Can Use For Cowboy Chicken Salad
Although I really encourage you to give my cowboy butter ranch dressing a try (you will use it more than just for salads!), others would be great, too. Try the salad with ranch dressing, blue cheese, Thousand Island, Russian dressing, Caesar dressing, honey mustard, creamy balsamic vinaigrette, or your favorite!
Can You Make Cowboy Chicken Salad Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make the salad ahead of time! Here’s how to keep it fresh:
- Prepare the ingredients (chop vegetables, cook chicken, and make the dressing) but keep the dressing stored separately until ready to serve.
- Store the salad mix (lettuce, vegetables, and chicken) in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
- Add the crispy bacon, cheese, and croutons just before serving so they stay crunchy.
This way, everything stays fresh and flavorful when you are ready to enjoy it!
How To Store Cowboy Chicken Salad For Freshness
To store Cowboy Chicken Salad, keep the salad and dressing separate. Put the salad (chopped vegetables, chicken, and cheese) in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the dressing in a separate container. When ready to eat, just mix them together! If you have croutons or bacon, wait to add those until right before serving so they stay crunchy.
Cowboy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 ½ pounds chicken
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Salad
- 4-5 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 1 cup (165 g) canned sweet corn, drained
- 1 cup (172 g) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium avocado, diced
- 1 cup (113 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 medium jalapeño, diced
- 4 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- ¾ cup Cowboy Butter Ranch Dressing
- croutons, homemade or store-bought
- 1-2 medium jalapeno peppers, sliced for garnish
- 1 medium lime, cut into wedges for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound them to an even thickness, about ½-inch each.
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne (if using). Season both sides of the chicken evenly.
- To a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts and starts to sizzle, add the chicken.
- Cook chicken undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Then, flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- To a large salad bowl, add the chopped romaine. Top the lettuce with sliced cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, shallot, corn, black beans, avocado, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, jalapeño, and crispy bacon.
- Drizzle with Cowboy Butter Ranch Dressing. Toss gently to coat.
- Scatter croutons on top. Garnish with sliced jalapeños.
- Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the salad.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This salad is delicious and packed with flavor! I love how filling it is.
Elizabeth
I love everything about this salad, even the kick from the jalapeno peppers. When I make it, I am going to try it with rotisserie chicken!
Annabelle
If you are looking for a salad that will fill you up, you will like this one! And, the dressing is really good.
Bella
The crispy bacon and creamy avocado are my favorite parts. This salad is not only tasty but also filling—perfect for a meal!
Stephanie
If this is how I can get my vegetables, I will take it! (But I would make my salad without beans.)
Yummy x
My mouth is watering. Giving this 5 stars because I made your cowboy ranch and it was the best ranch I’ve ever had so I know it will be great on this salad!