If you’re anything like me, then you are probably just as obsessed as I am with Chick-Fil-A salads. They’re delicious, wholesome, and so refreshing during this time of the year! They’re also incredibly convenient and perfect as a single serving lunch.
I love making this Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad copycat recipe for a healthy weeknight dinner that my family absolutely loves! It’s so easy, nutritious, and flavorful. If you’re craving a yummy CFA salad, this one tastes just like the real deal!
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In This Post
Is the Spicy Southwest Salad Healthy?
While the Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad is healthy in that it is full of nutrient-loaded vegetables and ingredients, it’s definitely one of the higher-calorie salads on their menu. However, making this homemade version of the salad and dressing is a great way to lower the calorie count and keep the nutrition in the meal!
The Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad has 690 calories. This copycat recipe has about 343 calories with the same amount of protein and the same amount of deliciousness as the original!
Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad Ingredients
What’s in the Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad? Here are the ingredients:
Southwest Chicken – Smoked paprika, spicy cayenne, citrusy orange, and a bright vinegar help make this recipe come to life!
Lettuce – The original recipe uses chopped romaine, but I personally love the added nutrition of chopped spinach.
Bell Pepper – Red or green bell pepper are roasted with the chicken in the oven before topping this salad!
Tomatoes – Freshly sliced grape tomatoes are best, but any type of tomato works great.
Black Beans – Cooked black beans are best, but pinto or red beans are delicious options as well!
Corn – Is it even a Southwest salad without the corn? So yummy!
Pepitas – The original recipe calls for Chili Lime Pepitas, but you can just use regular pepitas (pumpkin seeds) as well.
Tortilla Chips – Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips take this salad to another level!
Shredded Cheese – Feel free to use any type of shredded cheese or omit entirely if necessary.
The Salad Dressing
This salad is best served with this Southwest Salad Dressing recipe, which is also a copycat of the Chick-Fil-A version. It’s lower in calories, made with better ingredients, creamy, and yummy!
Other salad dressing ideas for this recipe include this Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing, 10-Minute Healthy Ranch Dressing, or Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing for a dairy-free option.
How to Make the Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad (Copycat Recipe)
- Marinade the chicken overnight (or for a few hours).
- Bake the chicken.
- Put the salad ingredients together.
- Add the chicken and toss.
- Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!
Tips for Marinating the Chicken
Marinate the chicken anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours before baking! You can even bake the chicken in advance and keep it refrigerated for 3-4 days until you’re ready to serve.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe
- Spicy Radish Summer Quinoa Salad
- Easy Healthy Taco Salad w/ Ground Turkey
- Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Salad
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Arugula Lentil Salad
- Chili Mango Zesty Quinoa Salad
Did you make this Spicy Southwest Salad recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons!
Spicy Southwest Salad Recipe (Chick-Fil-A Copycat)
Ingredients
Southwest Chicken Marinade
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or any vinegar)
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 chicken breasts (or 3 small)
Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 6-8 cups chopped spinach (or romaine)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup corn
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1 cup crumbled tortilla chips (or tortilla strips)
- 1/3 cup Southwest Salad Dressing
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade together.
- Place the chicken in an airtight container or freezer bag and pour the marinade over it.
- Marinate the chicken overnight (or for at least 30 minutes before baking).
Making the Spicy Southwest Salads
- Preheat the oven to 350 degress F.
- Place the marinated chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- Add the chopped bell pepper to the baking sheet and continue to bake for another 15 minutes (or until the chicken is fully cooked).
- While the chicken is baking, make the salad dressing.
- Chop the spinach.
- In a large salad bowl, toss all of the salad ingredients together (except for the pepitas, tortilla chips, and dressing).
- Add the chicken and bell peppers once they are done baking and toss together.
- Plate each salad, add the peptias, tortilla chips, and drizzle with dressing.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Marinate the chicken anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours before baking! You can even bake the chicken in advance and keep it refrigerated for 3-4 days until you’re ready to serve.
- Other salad dressing ideas for this recipe include this Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing, 10-Minute Healthy Ranch Dressing, or Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing for a dairy-free option.
Marisa Franca says:
I love their salad and I’ve wanted to duplicate it for the longest time. Last evening I decided to follow your recipe and make it. What a huge hit with the whole family. This is the prefect dish for a hot summer’s evening. So glad I found your recipe.
AISilva says:
There are seldom salads that I see and just NEED to make it at first glance. This is one of those salads. We don’t have that restaurant here but this recipe looks amazing and I’ll be trying it soon. Thank you!
Liz says:
Looks like I can skip the drive thru now! Haha this is such a great recipe and that dressing is perfect!
Nina Paul says:
Hi! thanks for sharing this recipe but can I use kale leafs instead of spinach?
Christine McMichael replied:
Yes, absolutely!
Colleen says:
This salad is delicious! My family loved it and we’ve never been to Chick-Fil-A! Thanks for this recipe!
Cathleen says:
Can you believe that I have never been to Chick-fil-A? But who needs to when you can make the food at home!! This looks so good, bookmarked to make this weekend. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Marta says:
The salad was full of flavors and the different textures were amazing. Also, a quick weekday meal with a bit of prep ahead of time. Thanks for sharing!
Kay says:
I get bored with salad’s but this one is so full of colour and flavour it makes it so enjoyable! Will be adding this one to my weekly dinners!
Jere Cassidy says:
This is the salad I always (well used to get) at Chic Fil A. The lines to our restaurant are so long I stopped going, so I am glad to have your recipe.
Sharon says:
Skip the drive-thru and make this salad right at home. The Southwest marinade on the chicken is what really makes this salad so good.
Stine Mari says:
This salad is so right up my alley it’s knocking on my door! I love the Southwest inspired flavors, they are perfect in a fresh salad. Will definitely be on repeat!
Jessica Formicola says:
I am all about the copycat recipes, and this one is spot on! Thanks so much for sharing, I can’t wait to make it again!
Erin Gierhart says:
I can’t wait to make this again! I love the pepitas and the dressing is so good!
Angela Morris says:
Great recipe! I love the chicken marinade. So flavorful.
Lesli Schwartz says:
I LOVE a good chicken salad, especially during the summer! Your interpretation is awesome, cannot wait to make this for a summer picnic!