Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsMax's Trumbull KitchenSouthwestern Chopped Salad Recipe

Southwestern Chopped Salad Recipe

Time30m
Serves4

romaine, tomato, pickled red onion, roasted corn salsa, cotija cheese, avocado, crispy tortilla strips, chipotle ranch

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Ingredients

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Salad Base

Method

Preparing the Salad

  1. 1

    Chop the Romaine

    Wash and dry the romaine lettuce. Remove the leaves from the core and chop into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large salad bowl.

  2. 2

    Dice the Tomatoes

    Wash the tomatoes and dice them into small cubes. Add them to the bowl with the romaine.

  3. 3

    Add Pickled Red Onions

    Add the pickled red onion to the salad bowl.

  4. 4

    Incorporate Roasted Corn Salsa

    Spoon the roasted corn salsa into the salad bowl and mix gently.

  5. 5

    Prepare the Avocado

    Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Dice it into cubes and add to the salad.

  6. 6

    Add Crispy Tortilla Strips

    Sprinkle the crispy tortilla strips over the top of the salad.

  7. 7

    Sprinkle Cotija Cheese

    Crumble cotija cheese on top of the salad for added flavor.

Making the Chipotle Ranch Dressing

  1. 8

    Combine Dressing Ingredients

    In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle peppers, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.

  2. 9

    Adjust Seasoning

    Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add more chipotle for heat or lime juice for acidity.

Assembling the Salad

  1. 10

    Dress the Salad

    Drizzle the chipotle ranch dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all the ingredients.

  2. 11

    Serve

    Serve the salad immediately, garnished with extra tortilla strips and cotija cheese if desired.

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