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Southwest Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad with Chipotle Crema

A vibrant, hearty salad loaded with smoky blackened chicken, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, red onions, and a spicy chipotle crema drizzle.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Grilled Chicken
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Salad Base
  • 3 cups sweet corn kernels fresh or thawed
  • 1 large English cucumber diced
  • 0.5 large red onion finely chopped
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Chipotole Crema
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp honey

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Grill pan or Cast iron skillet
  • Small Whisk
  • Cutting board and knife

Method
 

  1. Toss chicken chunks with olive oil, paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
  2. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, adobo sauce, lime juice, and honey in a small bowl to make the dressing. Set aside in the fridge.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken in a single layer for 4-5 minutes per side until blackened and cooked through. Let rest.
  4. In a large serving bowl, combine the sweet corn, diced cucumber, chopped red onion, and fresh cilantro.
  5. Add the rested grilled chicken chunks on top of the vegetable mixture.
  6. Drizzle the chipotle crema generously over the salad just before serving. Toss to combine if desired.

Notes

For meal prep, store the chipotle crema dressing in a separate container and mix it in right before eating to keep the vegetables crisp. Black beans or avocado make great additions to this bowl.