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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!

Bowl of salad topped with Mexican spiced chicken

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

  1. Prepare the chicken. The chicken is infused with the Mexican spices and oil. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavour.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Layer. Add the cooked chicken and dressing to the salad. Top with nuts, cheese or extra coriander.
  6. 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

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 558
Spice up your lunches with this Mexican inspired salad – Mexican spiced chicken and a creamy fat burning dressing all on top of a nutritious salad. It's both tasty and simple.

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
  • 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

NUTRITION
 
Per Serve (318 grams)
 
Calories: 558kcal  |  Protein: 26 g  |  Fat: 46 g  |  Sodium: 1278 mg   |  NET CARBS: 5.8 grams
Author: phena79
Calories: 558kcal
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Dairy-free, Low-Carb, Mexican, paleo
Keyword: Chicken, dairy free, mexican, Salad

If you made this, tag it on Instagram @myketo_glow for a chance to be featured:)

SALAD FOR BREAKFAST?

Salad for breakfast? I know – the idea seemed a bit strange to me at first too. But when the key ingredients involve bacon and eggs, I thought, why not? This is the ultimate keto breakfast salad.

And if salad for breakfast is not your thing… it also makes the most delicious lunch. This keto salad is loaded with fiber and healthy fats to start the day. Then it is paired with a tangy mustard dressing that TOTALLY enhances the flavor.

Ultimate Keto Breakfast Salad

KETO SALADS: NOT YOUR ORDINARY SALAD

Salads are one of those typical ‘diet’ foods people eat to lose weight. And before starting keto, I really didn’t enjoy eating salad. But the creamy dressings and added extras of things such as bacon and avocado seem to make keto salads way more desirable.

This has got to be my favorite salad at the moment. It is the one I go to when asparagus becomes more seasonally available. There is something amazing about the combination of asparagus, bacon, tomato and egg. Then when you pair it with the mustard dressing….I’m in heaven!

Optional Extras

On it’s own this salad is amazing. It is high in healthy fats to keep you satisfied and not feeling hungry. However, there are a few things you can add in to give it a little boost:

  • Avocado
  • Chicken,
  • Nuts (flaked almonds give it a beautiful crunchy texture)
  • Additional Eggs

RECIPE TIPS AND TRICKS

keto breakfast salad ingredients
  1. I recommend cooking the eggs first. I used an egg cooker to hard boil my eggs. I prefer mine slightly soft, so I didn’t cook them as long. If you don’t have an egg cooker you can used a saucepan. Lisa at Downshiftology has a wonderful guide on how to cook eggs. When they are cooked, you can give them an ice water bath to stop them over-cooking.
  2. Try to use streak bacon if you can get it. Use the bacon grease to cook the asparagus.
  3. Many of these ingredients can be prepared in advance if you want to use it for lunches or weekday breakfasts. I recommended preparing the lettuce as needed so it stays fresh.

Keto Breakfast Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 495
Burn fat and load up on fiber with this breakfast salad. It includes bacon, egg, tomato and asparagus. Then it is drizzled in a tangy mustard dressing.

Ingredients

Mustard Dressing

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ½ tsp. Dijon mustard

Salad

  • 1 cup Romaine lettuce (washed and cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 strips bacon (streaky)
  • 1 egg
  • 40 g tomatoes, chopped (approx. 2-3 medium slices)
  • 3 spears asparagus (washed and dried)

Garnish

  • 1/4 avocado (sliced)
  • 1 tbsp flaked almonds

Instructions 

  • Start by preparing the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, mustard, and ACV. Whisk well and set aside.
  • Cook the egg/s by placing them in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool in an ice bath while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  • Fry the bacon in a hot skillet until crispy. Set aside. Reserve the remaining bacon fat for cooking the asparagus.
  • Lightly fry the asparagus in the remaining bacon fat until tender.
  • In a small bowl, combine the lettuce, bacon, tomato, asparagus, and mustard dressing. Toss lightly to distribute the dressing.
  • Spoon the salad onto a plate or bowl and top with egg, avocado and flaked almonds.

Notes

  • NET CARBS: 6.5 g     |     PROTEIN: 18 g     |        FAT: 42 g
Author: phena79
Calories: 495kcal
Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Dairy-free, Low-Carb, paleo
Keyword: asparagus, breakfast, Keto, Salad

Nutrition Facts

Serving size 340 g (12 oz)

Servings per container 1

Amount per serving
Calories 495

Calories from Fat 378

% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g 65%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 164mg 55%
Sodium 588mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 8g 32%
Sugars 5g
Protein 18g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

For more delicious keto salad recipes, you could try my Easy Keto Chicken Salad.

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