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    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Cheddar

    By Julia | Updated: Jul 19, 2018 | Published: Mar 06, 2014 | 26 Comments

    49.3K shares
    • Facebook202
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    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Tortilla Chips, and Cheddar Cheese. For dressing use Ranch dressing or Greek yogurt mixed with the taco seasoning and fresh cilantro.

    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Tortilla Chips, and Cheddar Cheese

     

    I love chicken salads, and one of my most favorite ones is a chicken taco salad with lots of vegetables, crushed tortilla chips, creamy Ranch dressing (or a healthier, Greek yogurt based dressing), served with sour cream and salsa on the side!

    This salad has everything: protein, carbs, veggies, fiber - it's a complete dinner meal which will leave you happy and satisfied!

    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Tortilla Chips, and Cheddar Cheese

    How to cook chicken

    I like to roll and liberally coat the chicken in a taco seasoning and sear it in olive oil on medium-high heat for only about 3 minutes on each side. Then, remove the chicken from heat but still keep it covered for about 15 more minutes to allow it to cook through until it's no longer pink inside but not dry either.

    Alternatively, you can bake the chicken at 375 Fahrenheit in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes and then let it sit covered on the counter until the chicken is cooked through and ready to be diced into cubes.

    How to assemble the salad

    Just mix all chicken taco salad ingredients together (adding tortilla chips last), and serve the salad with the dressing on the side, just like this:

    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Tortilla Chips, and Cheddar Cheese

    Or, you can drizzle the dressing over the chicken taco salad right before serving, like this. Either way, the salad is delicious, flavorful, just a pure comfort food.

    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Tortilla Chips, and Cheddar Cheese

    What salad dressing to use for chicken taco salad

    For a salad dressing, you can use either store-bought Ranch dressing, or, for a healthier version, mix some Greek yogurt with the taco seasoning and chopped fresh cilantro!

    chicken taco salad with spinach, tomatoes and cheddar
    5 from 6 votes

    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Cheddar

    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Tortilla Chips, and Cheddar Cheese. For dressing use Ranch dressing or Greek yogurt mixed with the taco seasoning and fresh cilantro.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories per serving 254 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Chicken:

    • 2 tablespoons vegetable Oil
    • 1 lb chicken breasts , skinless, boneless
    • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

    Salad:

    • 6 cups spinach fresh, shredded
    • 3 tomatoes , diced
    • 4 green onions , chopped
    • ¼ cup red onion , chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper , thinly sliced
    • ½ cup cheddar cheese , shredded
    • ½ cup tortilla chips , crushed

    Salad dressing (option 1):

    • ½ cup Ranch salad dressing

    Salad dressing (healthier option 2):

    • ½ cup Greek yogurt mixed with the taco seasoning and chopped fresh cilantro
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    Chicken:

    • Season the chicken breasts with taco seasoning on both sides. Heat the skillet on medium-high heat, add oil, then sear chicken about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and keep the skillet covered to allow chicken to continue cooking off heat until no longer pink in the middle. Cool the breasts then slice them into small cubes

    Salad:

    • Layer all salad ingredients (spinach, tomatoes, green onions, red onion, red bell pepper, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips) and cubed chicken in a large salad bowl or on a large serving platter. Drizzle with the desired amount of Ranch dressing and serve.
    • Or, instead of layering the salad ingredients, just toss them all together, without any layering, with the desired amount of Ranch dressing and serve the salad already tossed and mixed. In this case, add crushed tortilla chips only after you tossed and mixed all other salad ingredients, to make sure tortilla chips don't get soggy.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Chicken Taco Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Cheddar
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    254
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    16
    g
    25
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    6
    g
    38
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    48
    mg
    16
    %
    Sodium
     
    376
    mg
    16
    %
    Potassium
     
    531
    mg
    15
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    10
    g
    3
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    15
    g
    30
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    3165
    IU
    63
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    34.6
    mg
    42
    %
    Calcium
     
    102
    mg
    10
    %
    Iron
     
    1.4
    mg
    8
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword chicken taco salad, mexican chicken salad, southwestern taco salad
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    49.3K shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Ari @ Ari's Menu

      March 09, 2014 at 11:53 pm

      This looks SO good, and so pretty with all the bright colors! I'm especially loving the idea for dressing option 2!

      Reply
    2. Nami | Just One Cookbook

      March 09, 2014 at 8:01 pm

      What a lively salad! Not just nutritious and delicious, but it give us a happy vibe. 🙂 The chicken with taco seasonings will add nice flavor and this sounds like a great lunch salad!

      Reply
    3. Beth

      March 09, 2014 at 5:00 pm

      What a gorgeous salad! I can't wait to try it - looks like something everyone in my family will love.

      Reply
    4. Deb

      March 08, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      I'm ready to make this recipe and it's not even 10 in the morning! The bright flavors and crunch are just fantastic!

      Reply
    5. Noel Lizotte

      March 08, 2014 at 11:03 am

      Julia, I shared this on FB the other day - just now added to my Ziplist Recipe box and it's going on my shopping list for this week!
      Love this salad!

      Reply
    6. The Café Sucre Farine

      March 07, 2014 at 4:53 pm

      I want this for dinner Julia! It looks wonderful.

      Reply
    7. Ashley

      March 07, 2014 at 10:13 am

      This is absolutely my kind of salad! It's so bright and colorful ... and the flavors are just downright awesome. Plus I can never turn down anything with tortilla chips : )

      Reply
    8. Holly Ford

      March 06, 2014 at 11:03 pm

      That is one appetizing salad. It is a totally satisfying dish. Love all the healthy colors!

      Reply
    9. Matt @ Runner Savvy

      March 06, 2014 at 7:39 pm

      Yum!

      Reply
    10. Daniela

      March 06, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      Just looking at the vibrant colors makes my mouth water.
      Thank you for sharing this Julia, it's like springtime on a plate 🙂

      Reply
    11. Emily {Rainbow Delicious}

      March 06, 2014 at 3:43 pm

      Wow, this looks so delicious and simple to put together! I'm definitely adding this to one of my upcoming meal plans.

      Reply
    12. Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking

      March 06, 2014 at 3:20 pm

      This salad looks so yummy! I wish I could get my photographs of salad to look half this crisp, fresh and colorful!

      This salad would also be great to make with leftovers from a fajita night!

      Reply
    13. Monique

      March 06, 2014 at 8:50 am

      How nice.. Spring is around the corner.. I see this on the patio with a nice glass of chilled wine this summer Julia.

      Reply
    14. Angie (@angiesrecipess)

      March 06, 2014 at 7:44 am

      wow look at the vibrant bright colour! I am smitten!

      Reply
    15. ela@GrayApron

      March 06, 2014 at 4:05 am

      I agree, this salad has everything I like. Those crushed tortillas is a fabulous idea! 🙂 ela

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

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    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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