My viral crispy rice salads get a kick of southwest nostalgia thanks to the addition of corn, black beans, and tender ground chicken. This is my Crispy Rice Southwest Chicken Salad, and it is sure to be your new favorite salad yet. It comes together with a base of crunchy cucumbers and a tangy, creamy, avocado dressing that is so good, you'll want to eat it with a spoon. This salad is perfect as both a flavorful side dish or a filling main - no matter how you enjoy it, you cannot go wrong!
Equipment
- 1 Mandolin I like using a mandolin to slice the cucumbers nice and thin!
Ingredients
For the Crispy Rice:
- 2 Cups Cooked Rice cooled - I use jasmine rice, but any rice should work well
- 2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Chipotle Powder
For the Chicken:
- 1 Pound Ground Chicken
- 3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
For the Salad:
- 5 Persian Cucumbers sliced thin - or substitute 1 English cucumber
- 1 Cup Baby Tomatoes halved
- 1 15 Ounce Can Black Beans
- ¾ Cup Corn
- 1 Small Red Onion thinly sliced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- ½ Cup Pepitas
For the Dressing:
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Lime juiced
- ⅓ Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- ½ Cup Greek Yogurt
- ¼ Cup Cilantro
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by preparing the crispy rice. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cook the rice according to your preferred method and allow it to cool fully. Then, add it to the baking sheet.
- Toss the cooled rice with the sesame oil and seasonings (the cumin and chipotle powder).
- Then, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the rice for 30-40 minutes, or until it's nice and crispy. Toss it halfway through, to ensure that it cooks evenly.
- Next, prepare the chicken. Heat a large skillet, on the stove, over medium-high heat.
- Add a little bit of olive oil to the pan. Then, once the oil is hot, add in the ground chicken and taco seasoning and cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
- Once the chicken is done, prepare the rest of the salad. Wash and chop the cucumbers and add them to a large bowl, followed by the baby tomatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper.
- Then, drain and rinse the corn and black beans and add them to the salad alongside the pepitas.
- Once the crispy rice is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool before tossing it into the salad.
- Finally, prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients (the avocado, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, greek yogurt, cilantro, cumin, sea salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Then, pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss to fully combine.
- Once it's done, serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to three days.
Calories: 715kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 1417mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1957IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see what you made - tag @kalejunkie
in your posts and I’ll re-share!
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