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This Southwestern Cilantro Lime Salad has a Tex Mex flair and tastes amazing. The creamy cilantro lime dressing is the star of the show. Enjoy as a main dish salad or a side salad.
This cilantro lime salad is my favorite thing on the menu at the Nordstrom’s Cafe. I think I order it 95% of the time. Sometimes I get wild and crazy and order their tomato basil soup. I love this salad recipe so much I decided I needed to learn to make it at home, especially when the cafe closed down during Covid!
The cilantro lime dressing on this salad is definitely the star of the show. I love it so much I use it on the salad but I also like to coat my chicken in it for even more amazing flavor.
Salad Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce
- Tomato. I dice up a tomato but you could also use cherry tomatoes.
- Roasted red pepper. I purchase it in a jar.
- Corn Kernels. I used canned but can also use fresh or frozen. Add in any leftover veggies you have on hand.
- Pumpkin seeds or pepitas. Feel free to add in your favorite nut.
- Monterey jack cheese or cotija cheese.
- Chicken. I use boneless, skinless chicken breast but could also use any leftover or rotisserie chicken. This salad would also be delicious topped with leftover steak.
- Additional Add ins: avocado, black beans, onions, red onion, tortilla strips, jalapeno, cucumbers, tortilla strips.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Salad
- Make Cilantro Lime Dressing (see directions below)
- In a large bowl combine chopped romaine lettuce, tomato, corn, red peppers, cheese and pumpkin seeds.
- Add a few tablespoons of dressing to the cooked, chopped chicken, stir to coat chicken with dressing.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
- Top with chicken.
Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing Ingredients
The dressing for this salad is a combination of:
- Rice vinegar. You can substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Lime juice. Fresh squeezed is preferred.
- Garlic
- Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. These can be found on the Latin aisle in a can.
- Honey
- Olive oil. Can also use vegetable or canola.
- Fresh Cilantro
How to Make Lime Cilantro Salad Dressing
- Rough chop cilantro with a knife.
- Puree chilies in food processor
- Add all dressing ingredients except oil and cilantro to blender or food processor and blend
- Slowly add oil into processor to form emulsion
- Add in cilantro and pulse to combine. Keep dressing in the fridge until ready to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stored in the refrigerator it will last 5-6 days in an airtight container.
When you add chicken to the cilantro lime salad it is pretty much a complete meal. I often will just add some good, crusty French Bread or No Knead Bread. It is also delicious with these easy breadsticks.
You can prepare the cilantro lime salad dressing ahead of time and chop up all the ingredients a day before but don’t assemble or dress the salad until before ready to serve. Prepped ingredients should be stored in air tight containers in the refrigerator.
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Try these other delicious salads:
Cilantro Lime Chicken Chop Salad
Ingredients
Dressing (makes slightly more than 1 cup)
- 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tsp garlic
- 2 tsps chipotle chilies in adobo sauce chopped small
- 2 tsps honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup cilantro
Salad
- 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup corn
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds toasted
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese shredded (I accidently left it out!)
- 2 cup Chicken cut up
Instructions
Dressing
- Chop cilantro
- Puree chilies in food processor
- Add all dressing ingredients except oil and cilantro to processor and blend
- Slowly add oil into processor to form emulsion
- Add in cilantro and pulse to combine
- Toss the dressing with chopped romaine lettuce, corn, chicken, tomatoes, cheese, roasted red pepper and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Originally posted March 15, 2013
C says
This looks divine!! You had me at the Lime and Cilantro…one of my favorite combo’s EVER!!! Totally pinning this!! Thanks!!!
Rae says
YUM! This is a MUST TRY! I will most definitely be putting this on a menu soon!
Becki's Whole Life says
Leigh Anne – I made this for my family tonight and we loved it. The dressing is out of this world flavorful. I only had about half the cilantro you call for and it was still great…I’m sure its even better with the whole cup. The chipotle flavor really made it, too. I forgot this was inspired by Nordstrom’s cafe. That will make my husband like it even more – its his favorite store:-). I have only eaten there once, but it was really good!
Thanks for a great recipe!
Leigh Anne says
I am so glad you enjoyed it and that your husband did too! It’s a keeper.
Janelle says
I made this for dinner last week and my family loved it. My 8 year old even had seconds!
Leigh Anne says
So glad it was a hit with your family! Thanks for letting me know.
Dorene Johnson says
Just wanted to let you know on the Cilantro Lime Chicken Chopped Salad that chicken is not listed under salad ingredients. I usually look at the list of ingredients, buy them and then read the directions. I know Chicken is in the title but knowing me I would have missed it. I’m going to make this for 5 of my 7 sisters in a couple of weeks when they come to AZ. Thanks for the recipe, looks perfect for a yummy lunch.