Chicken Taco Salad

Perfectly fresh, boldly-flavorful, and wildly delicious, this chicken taco salad recipe hits every satisfying note. Packed with juicy taco-seasoned chicken, leafy romaine, crisp veggies, vibrant toppings, crunchy tortilla strips, and a smoky chipotle ranch dressing, this taco bowl salad with chicken delivers all the crave-worthy flavors of your favorite taco spot in one vibrant, Mexican bowl.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs ((substitute: boneless, skinless chicken breasts))
• 1 1/2 TBS Taco Seasoning
• 1 1/2 TBS Neutral Oil (- such as vegetable or canola)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 tsp Ground Garlic
• As Needed Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• 1 whole Lime
• 2-3 Heads Romaine Lettuce (- thinly sliced)
• 3 whole Scallions (- thinly sliced)
• 2 Ears Corn (- shucked and kernels sliced off the cob)
• 1 Cup Canned Pinto Beans (- rinsed and drained (substitute: black beans))
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes (- halved or quartered depending upon size)
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• As needed Chipotle Ranch Dressing

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Season Chicken: To a large bowl, add the taco seasoning, oil, Worcestershire, ground garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Grab a whisk and stir to combine. Then, add the chicken and turn the chicken to fully coat it in the seasoning.
2. 2Air Fry Chicken: Preheat the air fryer to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Then place the seasoned chicken into the basket of your air fryer and air fry, flipping halfway through, for 12-14 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 160-degrees before resting and 165-degrees after resting.
3. 3Add Lime, Rest Chicken: Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and squeeze a little bit of fresh lime juice over the chicken. (Note: I like to also sprinkle flaky Maldon salt over the top, but that’s just me.) Then, let it rest for 2 minutes. After resting, roughly chop the chicken or shred it into bite-size pieces, depending upon your preferences.
4. 4Assemble Taco Salad with Chicken: To a large salad bowl, add the lettuce and ¼ cup of the chipotle dressing. Toss the ingredients to evenly coat the greens in the dressing. Then, divide the dressed greens evenly among serving bowls or keep in family style and serve it in the large salad bowl. Top the lettuce with 2/3 of the taco toppings (scallions, corn, beans, tomatoes, and cheese), then all the cooked chicken, and finish with the remaining ⅓ of the toppings.
5. 5Serve Chicken Taco Salad: Drizzle with a little more dressing to taste over the salad or serve the remaining dressing on the side and enjoy immediately.