This Spicy Southwest Salad is a homemade version of Chick-Fil A's recipe. It's spicy, packed with flavor, and so delicious. This makes a great, healthy weeknight dinner the whole family loves!
Jump to:
- Is The Spicy Southwest Salad Healthy?
- How Much Does It Cost?
- Spicy Southwest Salad Ingredients
- How To Make Chick-Fil A's Spicy Southwest Salad
- How To Grill The Chicken
- How To Roast The Chili Lime Pepitas
- Substitutions and Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Easy Spicy Southwest Salad
- Check Out Latest Recipes
Do you love Chick-Fil A as much as I do? If so, I'm sure you've seen their incredible Spicy Southwest Salad!
Fresh romaine lettuce is topped with juicy tomatoes, red bell peppers, zesty poblanos, black beans, corn, and juicy grilled chicken. The whole salad is finished off a satisfying crunch from the pepitas and crushed tortilla chips with shredded cheddar cheese and avocado ranch dressing on top.
It's a perfectly filling and delicious meal the the whole family loves, making it a fantastic weeknight dinner choice.
Is The Spicy Southwest Salad Healthy?
Yes! While the regular Chick-fil A version is still a healthy fast food option, full of fresh vegetables and protein. If you’re worried about calories and fat, it is on the higher end.
But my recipe is made from fresh, wholesome ingredients, is high in protein, and you're also able to portion out how much is right for you. By making it at home you just have more control over the quality of food you're eating.
How Much Does It Cost?
A typical Chick-fil A Spicy Southwest Salad costs $7.05 per salad, my homemade version can be made for around $3.65 dollars per serving. That’s almost half the cost!
Spicy Southwest Salad Ingredients
- Romain lettuce: You could also use premade spring mix to save time
- Grilled chicken: If you don't want to grill, you could bake, air fry, use chicken nuggets, or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for ease!
- Grape tomatoes
- Black beans: Canned black beans work great, just be sure to rinse them first
- Corn: Canned corn or frozen corn that's been thawed work well
- Cheddar cheese: You could use a blend of cheddar cheeses like sharp and mild, or even a mix of Monterey jack and cheddar
- Peppers: I used a blend of red bell peppers and poblano chiles for an authentic experience
- Pepitas: You can use pre-seasoned, raw, or roast and season them yourself. These are also known as pumpkin seeds.
How To Make Chick-Fil A's Spicy Southwest Salad
- Chop up your lettuce, dice both the bell peppers and poblano peppers, and halve the grape tomatoes
- On a large serving platter, lay down a bed of lettuce, then top it with the rinsed black beans, both diced peppers, grape tomatoes, and corn kernels
- Slice the grilled chicken and shred your cheddar cheeses
- Finish the salad off with the sliced chicken, pepitas, and cheddar cheeses
- Use salad tongs to serve, drizzle over your favorite dressing, and enjoy!
How To Grill The Chicken
If you decided to cook the chicken yourself, and not use store bought, here's the easiest way to cook it
- Heat grill or grill pan over medium heat
- In a small bowl combine ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Rub a small amount of olive oil on both sides of 2 medium sized chicken breasts and divide the seasoning between them
- .Grill chicken turning it after 5 minutes to cook for another 5-6 minutes on the other side. (Chicken should have dark grill marks and be an internal temperature of 165 degrees f to be considered safe to eat)
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing
How To Roast The Chili Lime Pepitas
Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, are a signature topping on this popular salad. They're a healthy option to use because they are full of antioxidants and can help many diet deficiencies. (read more here!) Here's how to make your own homemade spicy chili lime pepitas
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees f and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons of pepitas, ¼ teaspoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon chili lime seasoning, and a pinch of cayenne pepper
- Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes
*they will smell toasted when done and ready*
Substitutions and Variations
Since you’re making it at home, this copycat Chick-fil a salad is completely customizable! You could try:
- Using chicken nuggets instead of grilled chicken
- Using store-bought rotisserie chicken or even leftovers
- Seasoning the chicken with taco mix before you grill it
- Changing up the protein and make it with fried shrimp, spicy shrimp, or steak
- Making it vegan and add more beans or tofu for protein
- Adding or remove any vegetables you don’t like
- Removing the cheese or use dairy-free cheese
These are just some ideas, feel free to use your own creativity!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 4 days if stored properly.
Yes! I recommend preparing each ingredient separately and then assembling the salad right before you're ready to serve it.
I think it does! In fact, I think it might be a bit better because of the fresh ingredients and customizable nature of this recipe.
If you don't believe me, check out the 5 star rating down below!
The most popular dressing Chick-fil A serves it with is creamy salsa, but an avocado lime ranch dressing, chili lime vinaigrette, or regular buttermilk ranch dressing would all be wonderful.
Did you make this copycat Chick-fil A Southwest Chicken Salad? If so, I would greatly appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below. In addition, you can also follow me on Instagram @coleinthekitchen and tag me if you make it! Hope you enjoy 🙂
PrintEasy Spicy Southwest Salad
This spicy southwest salad is a homemade version of the classic Chick fil a recipe. It's got romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, grape tomatoes, a zesty combination of poblano chiles and crispy red bell peppers, all topped off with cheddar cheese and crunchy pepitas.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Chopped
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 Large head of Romaine Lettuce- chopped
- ⅓ cup diced Red Bell Pepper
- ⅓ cup diced Poblano Chile
- ½ cup Halved Grape Tomatoes
- ½ cup Rinsed Black Beans
- ½ cup Corn Kernels
- 1 pound Grilled Chicken
- 2 Tablespoons Pepitas
- ¾ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (blend sharp and mild for best flavor)
- Tortilla Chips- for topping
Instructions
- Chop up your lettuce, dice both the bell peppers and poblano peppers, and halve the grape tomatoes
- On a large serving platter, lay down a bed of lettuce, then top it with the rinsed black beans, both diced peppers, grape tomatoes, and corn kernels
- Slice the grilled chicken and shred your cheddar cheese(s)
- Finish the salad off with the sliced chicken, pepitas, and cheddar cheeses
- Use salad tongs to serve, drizzle over your favorite dressing, and enjoy!
Notes
- Calories calculated are an estimate and don't include dressing
- Use a salad mix to save time
- This recipe works with any kind of chicken- baked, grilled, rotisserie, leftovers
- Add or remove any vegetables based on your taste
- See post for how to grill chicken and roast pepitas
- Make up to 2 days in advance by prepping ingredients and assembling it the day of
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days
- Switch out the chicken for shrimp, steak, or tofu
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 370
Keywords: chick-fil a copycat salad, spicy southwest salad, spicy grilled chicken salad
Lauren says
The Southwest Salad is my fav at Chick fil A, and I was SHOCKED at how similar this was to it! It was probably better actually. And I FEEL better about it knowing it was made fresh! I followed Nicole’s helpful recipe tips/substitutions. I opted for her air fryer gluten free nuggets, roasted the peppers, beans, and corn, made her pepitas (roasted and sated work as long as you only do a SPRINKLE of chili lime seasoning and cayenne, then really watch in the oven), crushed blue corn & yellow tortilla chips, and used Primal Cilantro Lime Dressing. Will DEFINITELY make again!
★★★★★
Nicole Radcliffe says
This makes me so happy to hear! So, so, so glad you liked it! And I'll make a note about the pepitas, thank you for letting me know:)