Healthy Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

All the flavors of tacos in a healthy salad with a tasty cilantro-lime vinaigrette!

I love a delicious salad. They are easy to make and can be totally guilt free if you watch what goes into it. This salad is completely healthy. The fats in it are all good fats (avocado and olive oil) and it tastes amazing. You don’t really have to include meat in it if you don’t want to as it is tasty and filling enough on its own. In this updated version of the recipe I’ve included some pan grilled chicken. Tasty, refreshing, and easy on the love handles. What more could you ask for from a salad?

In this recipe I use my new cast iron grill pan to cook the chicken. I got it for Christmas a couple years ago and I’ve been using it a ton ever since. We move from California and it was a tough lesson to learn why most people don’t grill year round. It gets cold standing outside at that grill! Thanks to my new grill pan I can get the beauty of the grill no matter what the weather is outside!

Watch how easy it is to make this chicken on a grill pan. Warning: the video may make you salivate! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I have more than 100 video recipes! That’s right, I have my own cooking show! Go check it out!

Healthy Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

All the flavors of tacos in a healthy salad with a tasty cilantro-lime vinaigrette!

Prep Time12 mins

Cook Time8 mins

Total Time20 mins

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

• 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad

• 8 cups mixed greens
• 2 cups cooked dark red kidney beans
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed
• 1/2 small onion diced
• 1 2.25 oz can sliced black olives
• 2 roma tomatoes diced
• 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat a grill pan (or heavy skillet) over medium-high heat.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl combine chicken tenders with olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
• Cook chicken in grill pan until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Make your cilantro lime vinaigrette by placing cilantro into a food processor or blender. Add in olive oil, lime juice, and red wine vinegar. Blend until pureed into a pourable sauce, about 1 minute.
• Put rinsed salad greens into a bowl. Top with bean mixture, corn, onion, olives, tomatoes, and avocado. Serve topped with chicken and cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

Nutrition

Calories: 599kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 1475mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 40.5% | Vitamin C: 61.8% | Calcium: 7.5% | Iron: 27.6%