Welcome to a culinary adventure that promises to revolutionize your salad experience: the **Mexican Chimichurri Chicken Salad**. This vibrant, fresh, and utterly delicious creation brings together the smoky char of grilled corn, the sweet burst of summer tomatoes, the herbaceous zest of chimichurri-marinated chicken, and the creamy richness of ripe avocados. Designed to be naturally gluten-free, this salad is not just a meal; it’s a celebration of bold flavors and wholesome ingredients, perfect for a sunny day or any time you crave something truly special.
This post has been sponsored by Taylor Farms. We appreciate their support for the delicious recipes we love to share!
From Sad Salads to Culinary Triumphs: My Journey to This Recipe
Let’s be honest, for a long time, making truly delicious salads at home felt like an insurmountable challenge. Despite my best intentions, I’d often end up with a rather uninspiring bowl: a lonely bag of lackluster lettuce, some rather bland grilled chicken, and a drizzle of generic ranch dressing. The result was always the same – utterly boring and, frankly, a bit sad. It was a cycle of culinary disappointment that I thought I was destined to repeat.
You might be wondering, “If you’re so terrible at making salads, why are you sharing a salad recipe, Isabel?” That’s a perfectly fair question, and I’m glad you asked! My journey from salad despair to salad success is precisely why this recipe exists. After years of consistently underwhelming homemade salads, I finally stumbled upon the secret ingredient that transformed my approach entirely. And that secret, my friends, comes in the form of a reliable and high-quality base: Taylor Farms.
The Game Changer: Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kits
Discovering Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kits was nothing short of a revelation. They are, quite simply, lunch (and dinner!) life savers. Gone are the days of flavorless, watery, unappetizing, and utterly uninspired salads. Who has time for that? With an impressive variety of over nine different salad recipes, each pre-washed and ready to eat, monotony is banished from my kitchen. As someone with a deep appreciation for vibrant Mexican flavors, the **Taylor Farms Southwest Chopped Salad Kit** quickly became my go-to and served as the perfect foundation for this incredible Mexican Chimichurri Chicken Salad.
Why I Adore the Southwest Chopped Salad Kit:
- **Cilantro in the Mix!** As you might know, my love for cilantro runs deep – it features in a vast majority of my recipes, and I make no apologies for it! The inclusion of fresh cilantro in the salad greens instantly elevates the flavor profile, bringing an authentic touch to this Mexican-inspired dish.
- **The Creamy Cilantro Dressing.** This dressing is so exceptionally good, I could practically drink it straight from the packet! Its rich, herbaceous, and tangy notes perfectly complement the robust flavors of the chimichurri chicken and grilled corn. It’s the secret weapon that ties all the elements of this salad together beautifully.
- **Crunchy Toppings Included!** Every kit comes with delightful crispy tortilla strips and nutritious pumpkin seeds. These additions provide a fantastic textural contrast, adding a satisfying crunch that makes every bite interesting. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love crunchy tortilla chips on their salad?
- **Ultimate Convenience.** Perhaps one of the biggest benefits is that everything is already washed and ready to eat. This means no more wrestling with a salad spinner, no need for endless paper towels to dry wet greens, and significantly less prep time. It’s the ultimate time-saver, allowing you to enjoy a gourmet-quality salad with minimal effort.
Elevating the Protein: Chimichurri Chicken Perfection
Once I had the salad base and dressing effortlessly sorted, my next mission was to transform plain grilled chicken into something truly extraordinary – something mouthwatering and ideally suited for the bright flavors of summer. It took mere moments for an idea to spark: marinating the chicken in chimichurri, my absolute favorite summer sauce. This simple thought quickly became one of the best culinary decisions I’ve ever made. And that’s saying a lot!
Consider some of my other “brilliant” ideas: starting a vegetable garden in my front yard? My idea. Adopting two adorable (and mischievous) cats? Also my idea. Introducing my husband, John, to the fascinating world of home beer brewing? Yep, that was me too. But I can confidently say that marinating chicken in vibrant chimichurri sauce surpasses all of these. It’s truly *that* good.
For this recipe, I typically use a cup of my homemade Parsley and Cilantro Chimichurri. It’s incredibly easy to whip up in less than 10 minutes, packed with fresh herbs, garlic, and a tangy kick. However, if time is of the essence, a high-quality store-bought chimichurri sauce works perfectly and delivers fantastic results. The key is to let the chicken soak up those incredible flavors, preferably for at least an hour, or even better, overnight.
The chimichurri acts not just as a marinade but also as a flavor booster post-grilling. As the chicken grills, it develops a beautiful char and absorbs the herby, garlicky goodness of the chimichurri. This ensures every slice of chicken is bursting with flavor, providing a powerful punch that perfectly balances the fresh salad components.
The Perfect Supporting Cast: Summer’s Bounty
To further enhance the summer appeal of this salad, I incorporated some of my absolute favorite seasonal ingredients. Sweet, juicy grilled corn, fresh, ripe tomatoes, and creamy, buttery avocados are non-negotiable additions. Grilling the corn not only adds a wonderful smoky flavor but also intensifies its natural sweetness, creating a delightful contrast to the savory chicken. The tomatoes bring a burst of freshness and acidity, while the avocado provides a luscious, cooling element that balances the vibrant flavors. A squeeze of fresh lime juice over everything at the end ties it all together, adding that signature zing characteristic of Mexican cuisine.
The combination of these elements creates a symphony of textures and flavors. You get the crispness from the salad mix, the satisfying crunch of tortilla strips, the tender bite of grilled chicken, the sweet pop of corn kernels, and the smooth creaminess of avocado. Each forkful is an exciting medley that keeps you coming back for more.
After carefully layering all these exquisite components – the Taylor Farms Southwest Chopped Salad Kit, the perfectly grilled chimichurri chicken, the sweet grilled corn, the juicy tomatoes, and the creamy avocado – I topped it all off with that irresistible creamy cilantro dressing from the kit. And just like that, the Mexican Chimichurri Chicken Salad was born.
It was an instant classic, immediately claiming its spot as my new favorite summer salad. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience. It’s a testament to how simple, quality ingredients, combined with a touch of clever preparation, can elevate an everyday dish into something truly memorable. Get ready to enjoy summer in a bowl!
This salad truly captures the essence of summer in a single bowl.
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Mexican Chimichurri Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the grill:
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 cup parsley cilantro chimichurri sauce, divided
- 2 large ears of fresh sweet corn, husked
- cooking spray, for grilling
For the salad + toppings:
- 1 bag Taylor Farms Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
- 1 large avocado pitted and thinly sliced
- 2 large stem tomatoes, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
Instructions
For the grill:
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Marinate chicken breast in 3/4 cup of chimichurri sauce for 1 hour or overnight if possible.
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Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Spray the corn with cooking spray.
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Place the marinated chicken breast and corn directly on the grill. Flip the corn every two minutes and remove when the corn has turned a bright yellow and has beautiful grill marks. Flip the chicken after 5 minutes and grill on the other side until chicken has fully cooked through.
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To serve, cut the corn off the cob and slice the grilled chimichurri chicken into thin slices.
To assemble:
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In a large salad bowl, add the entire contents of the Taylor Farms Southwest Chopped Salad Kit except for the creamy cilantro dressing. Toss together and divide into 3 separate salad bowls.
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Add the sliced grilled chicken breast, grilled corn, avocado slices and chopped tomatoes to each bowl. Brush chicken with remaining chimichurri sauce and freshly squeezed lime juice.
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Top salads with creamy cilantro dressing and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 30g |
Protein: 51g |
Fat: 33g |
Saturated Fat: 2g |
Cholesterol: 120mg |
Sodium: 156mg |
Potassium: 498mg |
Fiber: 7g |
Vitamin A: 300IU |
Vitamin C: 24.8mg |
Calcium: 50mg |
Iron: 2.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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