Southwest Chicken Salad w/Guacamole Ranch Dressing {A Guest Post from Lisa from Cooking With Curls)

Hi, I’m Lisa from Cooking with Curls. Julie has graciously allowed me to join you today, and I am so excited to be here! I met Julie during the Spiked! Recipe Challenge and I have totally fallen in love with her blog. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity, thank you so much!

I am a stay at home mom with two amazing kids. We are originally from California, and moved to Iowa almost 14 years ago. Culture shock does not even begin to explain how incredibly different our lives are here. Whenever I am upset or stressed out, I start cooking. Feeling completely isolated in a strange place….. I started cooking a lot! As a result, I have finally found my passion….. a love of cooking!

I started my blog in November and I have loved every minute of it. When you come visit me, you will find recipes that include family favorites like Guinness Barbecue Ribs, restaurant re-creations like the Chicken Parmesan, and a lot of cakes baked with alcohol like BAILEYS Kiss Cocktail Cake.

All of my recipes are made from scratch, with lactose-free / dairy-free options, and have easy to follow instructions with step-by-step photos!

Today I will be sharing my spring version of Southwest Chicken Salad with Guacamole Ranch Dressing, try and say that 5 times fast! The spring version includes diced avocados, which I love because they contain mono and polyunsaturated fats, and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals! Here is a collage to show you what this delicious salad looks like…..

It is so simple to put together and can be easily made ahead of time for a super fast weeknight meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do – Lisa

Southwest Chicken Salad with Guacamole Ranch Dressing

For the Salsa:

• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 can of organic corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

For the Salad:

• 1 bag Leaf Lettuce, I used European Blend
• 1 bag Spring Mix Lettuce, I used Baby Garden Blend
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken – a rotisserie chicken is perfect

For the Dressing:

• 1 cup Ranch Dressing (my dairy-free Ranch Dressing recipe)
• 2 ounces of guacamole, I used 1 individual packet of Wholly Guacamole
• 1 teaspoon ground Cumin

To Assemble:

1. Mix the ranch dressing, guacamole, and ground cumin together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Place the beans, corn, bell pepper, onions, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine*. Add the cubed avocado, and gently stir.
3. Place your lettuce in a large bowl or on a large serving platter.
4. Sprinkle the chicken over the lettuce.
5. Sprinkle the salsa over the chicken.
6. Serve with Guacamole Ranch Dressing

*It is best to make at least one hour before serving, so the flavors have time to mingle and get happy. I wait to add the avocado until right before serving, but feel free to add whenever it works best for you.