Spice up your lunches with this Keto Mexican inspired salad – Mexican spiced chicken and a creamy fat burning dressing all on top of a nutritious salad. Tasty, simple, quick!
KETO MEXICAN – THE BEST FLAVOUR COMBINATION
My family and I love Mexican food. The combination of Mexican spices is AMAZING and always has me coming back for more.
We love to eat out at Mexican restaurants. And, if we are out at a Mexican restaurant I always order a Mexican salad. The only problem is, I usually get them to remove a heap of the carb loaded ingredients, like the corn and tortillas. So why not save the hassle and make your own Mexican inspired dishes at home – just the way you like it.
WHY THIS KETO MEXICAN SALAD WORKS
- This salad is one of my favourites for mid week. It is so quick and easy to make. And the ingredients are also easy to find. Most of them are keto staples or stored in the pantry. And it only takes 20 minutes to make!
- If your a meal prepper, this salad can easily be made in advance and taken to work, or used for mid week lunches or dinners. I just keep the cooked chicken separate and place on top when it’s ready to serve.
- This Mexican inspired salad is perfect for those following a low carb, paleo or whole30 based diet. The ingredients are fresh and clean and nutritionally dense.
- Change it up. You can customize this salad with whatever you like. Add different salad greens or vegetables, add cheese, or add nuts. Change it up to suit your taste. But don’t forget to recalculate the macros with anything you add or take away.
WHAT FLAVOURS ARE USED IN MEXICAN COOKING?
This dish uses a variety of Mexican spices to enhance the flavour. But what flavours are used in Mexican dishes? Some of the most common flavours used in Mexican cooking are:-
- Garlic
- Onion
- Chilli Powder
- Coriander (Cilantro)
- Mexican Oregano
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Cinnamon
- Cocoa powder
- cloves
Why not experiment and create your own mix of Mexican spices. You can add it to any meat dish or sauce to give it a Mexican kick.
HOW TO MAKE THIS KETO MEXICAN SALAD
- Prepare the chicken. The chicken is infused with the Mexican spices and oil. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavour.
- Make the salad. While the chicken is marinating, you can prepare your salad. Chop up any greens, vegetable or nut you might be using and combine in a bowl.
- Make the dressing. Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl. I like my dressing a little chunky, so a just use a fork to mix it up. But if you like it smoother, you may want to blend it up with a food processor or immersion blender.
- Cook your chicken. Cook your chicken for about 10 minutes on a medium to high heat. When it is finished, let it rest a few minutes.
- Layer. Add the cooked chicken and dressing to the salad. Top with nuts, cheese or extra coriander.
- Serve. Serve it up right away while it is hot and fresh.
POSSIBLE VARIATIONS
There are so many ways you can customise your salad to make it truly yours. So why not get creative and use your absolute favourite ingredients.
- CHANGE UP THE PROTEIN: Cooked fish, prawns, pork, tofu, grass-fed beef would also go well in this salad.
- ADD MORE FRESH VEGGIES: You could try adding peppers, jalapenos, red onion, or radishes. Or why not add oven baked broccolini or cauliflower.
- THROW IN SOME TORTILLA CHIPS: If you have extra time on your hands, you could make some keto tortilla chips to add to the salad. These would give it some extra crunch.
- ADD PICKLED OR FERMENTED VEGGIES: Add pickled jalapenos, kimchi or olives to your salad.
MORE SALAD RECIPES FROM MY KETO GLOW
Salads are great for meal prep and weeknight meals. If you are looking for more salad or meal prep ideas, try some of these:-
Keto Mexican Spiced Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Heavy based non stick skillet
Ingredients
Chicken
- 160 g chicken things with skin (diced)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (ground )
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
Salad
- 100 g lettuce (Romaine or Cos)
- 72 g Cucumber, with peel (sliced)
- 4 slices tomato, raw (thinly sliced)
- 2 tbsp. fresh coriander (cilantro) (finely chopped)
Dressing
- 30 g mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
- 1 Avocado (diced)
- 1 tsp. water
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper (ground)
- 2 tsp. lime juice (about half a lime)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
- In a small bowl, combine the chicken, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and oil. Cover and place in refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
Prepare the salad
- Divide the lettuce into two separate serving bowls.
- Add the tomato, cucumber and coriander.
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the avocado, mayonnaise, lime juice, water, cayenne pepper and seasoning. Whisk to combine. Leave chunky or use an immersion blender to make a smoother dressing. Set aside.
Cook the chicken
- Preheat a cast iron skillet medium. Pan fry the chicken for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the chicken to the salad and then top with the avocado lime dressing.
- Serve immediately or top with more coriander (cilantro) for extra flavor.
Notes
If you made this, tag it on Instagram @myketo_glow for a chance to be featured:)