Southwest Chopped Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce, red cabbage, and baby spinach. Chop the romaine into 1/2-inch pieces, thinly slice the red cabbage, and roughly chop the spinach. Place all greens in a large mixing bowl and gently toss to combine.

Prep vegetables

Halve the cherry tomatoes. If using fresh corn, cut kernels from the cob; if frozen, thaw and drain. Dice the red bell pepper into small, bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice green onions (white and green parts). Finely mince the jalapeño, removing seeds for milder heat. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and cut the lime in half.

Add the prepared cherry tomatoes, corn, red bell pepper, green onions, jalapeño, and cilantro to the bowl with the greens and toss lightly to distribute evenly.

Drain and rinse the black beans, then pat dry. If using cooked chicken, dice into bite-sized pieces. Peel, pit, and dice the avocado, then squeeze a little lime over it to slow browning. Add black beans, chicken (if using), and avocado to the salad bowl and fold gently to combine.

Crumble the cotija or feta cheese and add to the salad. Reserve the tortilla strips or crushed chips to add on top just before serving to preserve crunch.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, chipotle in adobo (start with 1 tsp; add more to taste), honey, fresh lime juice, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake until smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a time to reach desired pourable consistency (about 2 tablespoons). Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lime, honey, or adobo for brightness, sweetness, or heat.

Drizzle olive oil and a small squeeze of lime over the assembled salad, then pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Taste and add salt & pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl or divide among plates. Sprinkle crumbled cheese and reserved tortilla strips on top. Serve extra dressing on the side.