Looking for a healthy and quick salad to serve your family for lunch or dinner? Of couscous you are! Look no further, and get ready to make this delicious southwestern couscous chicken salad.
My kids have developed a newfound obsession with eating (slightly) spicy foods lately. This is not something I admit proudly, buuuutttt . . . I put one drop of hot sauce in their mouths whenever they say extremely naughty words, and I am thinking it has now backfired. Or maybe not? Because now they like to eat spicy food. It's slowly developing their palette for the piquant flavors of the world. Ha!
Southwestern Couscous Chicken Salad is a great lunch to keep in the fridge
This southwestern-inspired dressing is creamy and peppery, but not too overbearing. It's the type of heat that sneaks up on you, and balances out the sweetness of the corn and saltiness of the chicken in the salad. It really is a beautiful marriage of all the best flavors. And did I mention it takes only 10 minutes to make? Huzzah! I'm all about quick and healthy meals with simple ingredients—especially salads.
The only other thing I need to mention is you should definitely add some of those fancy tri-colored tortilla strips if you have any on hand. I usually add some in the salad for an extra crunch, and it makes it even more colorful and appetizing.
Grab the recipe for this southwestern couscous chicken salad below and enjoy!
Southwestern Couscous Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 2 cups chopped fresh greens spinach, green leaf lettuce, kale
- 1 cup shredded chicken
- ½ cup couscous cooked
- ½ cup corn
- ½ cup black beans
- Tortilla strips optional
Instructions
- Mix together the mayonnaise, milk, and dry ranch dressing in a bowl. Add in the chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin and mix well. Set aside.
- Chop up greens, and add them to a large bowl. Add in the chicken, couscous, corn, black beans, and crushed tortilla chips if you want a little crunch. Pour ¼-1/2 cup of the dressing on the salad and mix well. Serve immediately.
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