Description
This Tex-Mex Salad is a full-on flavor fiesta! Packed with fresh vegetables, chicken, black beans, crispy seasoned quinoa, and topped with a zesty chili-lime crema, it’s a satisfying and vibrant meal in a bowl.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 cups leafy greens
- ¼ to ½ cup black beans
- ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup chopped orange bell pepper
- ¼ to ½ cup fresh corn kernels
- ¼ avocado, chopped
- 3 oz chopped chicken breast
- ⅓ cup Crispy Tex-Mex Quinoa (see below)
- ¼ cup Chili Lime Crema (see below)
- Lime zest
- Sprinkling of pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Tex-Mex Quinoa:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, rinsed and cooled
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoky)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Chili Lime Crema:
- ¼ cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
- ½ small garlic clove, finely minced (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- ½ to 1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
- 1 teaspoon each chopped fresh cilantro and scallion (optional)
Instructions
1. To make the Chili Lime Crema: Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning or lime juice as needed. Chill before serving to allow flavors to meld. Set aside.
2. To make the Tex-Mex Quinoa: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, combine cooked quinoa with avocado oil and all spices. Toss well to coat.
4. Spread quinoa on the baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until deeply golden and crispy. Check at 15 minutes to avoid burning.
5. Let the quinoa cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes to crisp further.
6. To make the salad: Place leafy greens in a bowl and top with black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, and avocado in sections. Place the chicken in the center.
7. Top with crispy quinoa and drizzle with Chili Lime Crema. Garnish with lime zest and seeds.
Notes
To reduce prep time, use pre-cooked quinoa and rotisserie chicken.
For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken or replace with grilled tofu.
The Chili Lime Crema also works as a dip or taco topping.
Store any leftover components separately to keep the quinoa crispy.