Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad is a delicious and flavorful twist on a classic Caesar salad. With tender and juicy, well-seasoned chicken, an assortment of Mexican flavors and ingredients including crunchy homemade tortilla strips, all tossed in a Mexican-style Caesar salad, this salad is one you won't regret making!

Sometimes we just get sick of the same old classic recipes. So why not make things more interesting by combining different flavors and cuisines together to create something completely new? We love serving this Chicken Caesar Salad on taco night, Cinco de Mayo, or anytime we are craving salad and Mexican food.

Why You'll Love Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

• A twist on a classic Caesar salad. A Caesar salad is one of the simplest salads to make with one of the most distinct dressings. But sometimes in life, you need a little fiesta! So, we decided to take it to another level by adding in some traditional Mexican ingredients including black beans, corn, and avocado. And why use croutons when we have tortilla strips? This added the much-needed crunch. A salad so tasty and refreshing, you won’t even miss the Parmesan!
• The most flavorful chicken. This might be most flavorful chicken ever. It's well-seasoned and marinated in Mexican flavors including cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Plus, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer — whatever method works best for you!
• The Mexican-style Caesar dressing. We also added Mexican flavours of lime and cilantro to our homemade classic Caesar salad dressing. But you can totally use store-bought dressing too. And if you want to add in some heat to this salad, throw in a pinch a of chili flakes (entirely optional!).

Move over Caesar, there is a new salad in town! O’le!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• chicken breasts - I like to use boneless and skinless chicken breast in salads. You could also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
• chicken marinade - made in just minutes with a combination of olive oil, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, ground black pepper. You could also opt for a simple seasoning of ground cumin, salt, and pepper (see tips in recipe card).
• romaine lettuce
• corn - I cooked frozen corn. You could also use freshly cooked kernels from Grilled Corn on the Cob or Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob.
• black beans - you can use black beans cooked from dried beans, or use canned beans.
• avocado
• tortilla strips - I like having a batch of tortilla strips for recipes like this. They are super easy to make at home with just a couple of minutes of prep time. You can of course also use store-bought or crumble up some tortilla chips.
• lime wedges - optional, for serving.
• Mexican caesar dressing - made with Caesar salad dressing, lime juice, cilantro, and cumin. You can also add some dried chilli flakes for extra spice. You can also just use plain Caesar salad dressing if that is easier.

This recipe is also completely customizable. Feel free to add in your favorite veggies such as tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cabbage, and/or red onions.

How to Make the Best Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

Cook the chicken

1. Marinate the chicken. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts with ½ tablespoon oil, lime juice, garlic, and all seasoning including chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge. You can also combine everything into a large Ziploc bag and press the seasoning around the chicken to coat.
2. Cook the chicken. When ready to cook, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes per side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
   • Air fryer instructions: You can also cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 350F for 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
   • Oven instructions: You can bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
3. Slice. Remove from heat and transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board. Slice each breast into small strips of cubes.

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Assemble the salad

In a large serving bowl, add romaine lettuce, corn, black beans, avocado, tortilla strips, and sliced chicken.

In a small mixing bowl, combine Caesar salad dressing, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and dried chili flakes (if using). Stir well until combined. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

How to Serve

Serve Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad with your favorite Mexican dishes. Some of my favorites to serve this with are:

• Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
• Fish Tacos with Lime Crema
• Vegetarian Quesadillas
• Creamy Mexican Corn Soup
• Sheet Pan Nachos
• Shrimp Avocado Tostadas
• Chicken Tortilla Soup

More Salad Recipes

• 40 Best Salad Recipes
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Shrimp Taco Salad
• Beef Taco Salad
• Chicken Garden Salad
• Greek Chicken Salad

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