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These fully-loaded Southwest Chicken Bowlsare piled with taco-seasoned chicken,black beans,and colorful veggies,then served with a creamy avocado dressing. A quick and easy 15-minute meal that doesn’t skimp on flavor!
I can’t help but find myself craving tacos and fajitas every week,but the required assembly that comes with them is not for me. I’d much rather pile all of my favorite taco toppings and fajita fillings into one bowl instead. It’s exactly why I love my chicken fajita saladand vegan taco saladrecipes so much!
From bottom to top,these Southwest Chicken Bowls are fully loaded with a fiesta of textures and flavors you’ll love if you’re as much of a taco and fajita fan as I am. Taco-seasoned ground chicken,black beans,and veggies are tossed in my famous spicy avocado dressingto leave you with a salad I guarantee you could eat almost every day and never get bored.
The best part is how customizable these fajita salad bowls are! Use your favorite protein,make a vegan version,or add all of the toppings you can think of. No matter the spin you put on them,you’ll have a ton of fun making these bowls your own.
Recipe features
- A naturally gluten-free,dairy-free,and relatively low-carb meal in just 15 minutes! Perfect for busy weeknights and meal prepping.
- Loaded with protein from the chicken,fiber from the black beans and fresh veggies,and healthy fats from avocado to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
- Easy to tailor to your tastebuds with different proteins,toppings,dressings,and more.
Ingredients
Ground chicken–My favorite lean protein for Southwest salad bowls. I recommend using a mix of ground white and dark meat because the extra fat keeps the chicken tender and flavorful.
Taco seasoning–This smoky,spicy-ish seasoning blend gives the chicken its signature taco-filling flavor. If you don’t have a store-bought packet of taco seasoning at home,make your own by combining 1 tablespoon of chili powder,1 teaspoon of paprika,1 teaspoon of cumin,½ teaspoon of garlic powder,½ teaspoon of onion powder,½ teaspoon of oregano,and a pinch of cayenne.
Leafy greens–I combined romaine lettuce,fresh cilantro,and sliced green onions to make up the base of the salad. Feel free to use any leafy salad greens you like. And if you were born with the cilantro soap gene,either leave it out or use fresh parsley in its place.
Black beans–These boost the fiber and proteinin these Southwest chicken salad bowls. I like canned black beans because they’re convenient,but you can cook dry beans from scratch if you’d prefer.
Salad vegetables–I bulked up these bowls with grape tomatoes,red onions,and avocado. You’re more than welcome to mix and match the veggies as much as you’d like,though. Roasted or blackened corn,black olives,radishes,jalapeños,and fresh red bell peppers would all be delicious add-ins! If you want to take it a step further,swap the avocado for a scoop of guacamole salsaor bacon guacamole.
Avocado dressing–My creamy,zesty,and slightly spicy avocado dressing is easy to make with soaked cashews,cilantro,garlic,jalapeños,avocado,and lime. Honestly,I rarely eat Tex-Mex without it.
Instructions
Step 1:Make the dressing. If you haven’t already,make the salad dressing. To save time,you can do this a few days in advance and store it in the fridge.
Step 2:Cook the chicken.Cook the ground chicken with the taco seasoning in a large skillet until it’s browned and fully cooked.
Step 3:Prep the salad. Meanwhile,toss the chopped romaine,cilantro,and green onions together in a large mixing bowl. Have the chopped veggies and black beans ready on the side.
Step 4:Assemble and serve.Divide the romaine mixture evenly between four serving bowls. Top each with some of the taco-seasoned chicken,black beans,tomatoes,red onion,and avocado. Drizzle some of the dressing over the top,then dig in!
Tips and FAQs
- If you have 15 to 30 minutes to spare,chill the dressing in the fridge before serving. This gives the flavors time to get to know each other,making the dressing even tastier.
- Want to save time? Make the salad dressing,cook the chicken,and prep the toppings (except the avocado) 2 to 3 days ahead of time. Just keep everything in individual containers in the fridge until it’s time to eat.
Tip
Ground chicken is naturally lean,thus very easy to overcook. Only cook the chicken until it’s no longer pink and browned and crispy around the edges. If using extra-lean 100% ground chicken,you may need to add a splash of oil to the pan to keep it juicy.
Variations
Have fun customizing these bowls with the stuff you love! Here are some delicious ideas to get you started:
- Instead of ground chicken –Use ground turkey or ground beef instead.
- Vegetarian option–Make these bowls with my walnut taco meatinstead of the real meat.
- Extra toppings–Bulk up your bowl with shredded cheese,pico de gallo,pineapple salsa,black bean corn salsa,a dollop of sour cream,or crushed tortilla chips.
- Change the dressing –You can swap the avocado dressing for a drizzle of lime juice and olive oil,creamy cilantro-lime dressing,spicy ranch,or chipotle aioli.
- Make it a grain bowl–Turn them into Southwest rice bowls by using cilantro lime rice,Spanish rice,cauliflower rice,or quinoa as the base.
Serving suggestions
These chicken bowls are a meal in themselves! With lots of protein in each serving,one bowl should be enough to keep you full for a few hours.
If you plan on serving them for dinner,pair each serving with a side of salsa or quesoand tortilla chips,cilantro lime rice,and tortilla soupfor a well-rounded meal.
How much protein is in a Southwest chicken bowl?
The amount of protein can vary,but with the ground chicken and black beans alone,you can count on at least 25 to 30 grams of protein per bowl.
Storage
Refrigerator:Store the leftover chicken and black beans together in an airtight container and the veggies in a separate container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Refrigerate the dressing in a sealed jar or container for up to 1 week.
Reheating:When you’re ready to eat,microwave the chicken and beans until they’re just heated through,then assemble the bowls with the fresh veggies and dressing.
More healthy bowls to try
If you made this recipe,be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Southwest Chicken Bowls
These fully-loaded Southwest Chicken Bowls are piled with taco-seasoned chicken,black beans,and colorful veggies,then served with a creamy avocado dressing. A quick and easy 15-minute meal that doesn’t skimp on flavor!
Servings:
Instructions
- If you haven’t already,make the avocado dressing.
Add the ground chicken and taco seasoning to a skillet and cook,breaking up with a wooden spoon,until brown and cooked through.
Meanwhile,add the romaine,cilantro and green onion to a large bowl and toss to combine.
Prep the remaining ingredients:slice the tomatoes,onion and avocado and have them ready.
Assemble the bowls:divide the romaine mixture into 4 bowls,then add some of the ground chicken,beans,tomatoes,red onion,and avocado. Last,drizzle some of the dressing overtop. Enjoy!
Notes
*Bulk it up by adding cooked corn,red bell pepper,radishes.
Nutrition
Serving:1g| Calories:403kcal| Carbohydrates:34g| Protein:31g| Fat:17g| Saturated Fat:4g| Polyunsaturated Fat:3g| Monounsaturated Fat:9g| Trans Fat:0.1g| Cholesterol:98mg| Sodium:179mg| Potassium:1386mg| Fiber:14g| Sugar:3g| Vitamin A:1900IU| Vitamin C:14mg| Calcium:60mg| Iron:4mg
