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Behold the BEST chicken taco salad you will ever have!!
Taco salad always sounds so promising. I mean all the best things about a taco piled on top of some lettuce, how can that not be good?! Somehow they always seemed to fall short at restaurants, anyone else agree? So I decided to make my own!
BEST decision ever!
Soon after I made those instant pot chicken tacos I had a lot of that meat leftover I added some romaine lettuce and the best chicken taco salad was born!!!
The reason why that instant pot chicken taco meat works so beautifully in a taco salad is because it’s cooked in salsa giving it a nice juicy sauce that sort of acts as part of the dressing. Along with that juicy chicken taco meat we add a quick guacamole smash (avocados, lime juice, salt, and garlic powder), and a few dollops of light sour cream – once you toss the salad together you’ve got a nice thick coating on all the veggies. SO GOOD!
I think that’s one of the main things that is always disappointing in your typical taco salad from a restaurant dressing, or the lack there of. It usually consists of a small dollop of sour cream and guacamole and maybe salsa. Not. Enough. Dressing!!!!!
Thank you instant pot chicken taco meat for being so wonderful!
Oh and in addition to all the sauciness the chicken taco meat offers we’ve also got corn and black beans in there – half of the work of making this salad is done for us when we make the chicken taco meat!
But seriously if you have the chicken taco meat already made (take advantage of Sunday meal prepping here) assembling the salad only takes you 10 to 15 minutes! Easy weeknight meal all summer long!!!
Crunchy romaine lettuce is topped with that saucy chicken taco meat, grape tomatoes, all the black olives, tons of cilantro leaves, red onions, cotija cheese (or any kind of cheese you prefer), quick guac + light sour cream. Dream taco chicken salad is complete!
Oh and yes, you can add tortilla chips, or tortilla strips if you would like – very delicious. I left them out of the picture purely for a photo styling decision and TBH they weren’t really missed because the romaine lettuce provided a nice crunch.
You know a recipe is good when the only conversation you have with your husband while eating your dinner sounds like this: “This is really good.” “This is super tasty.” “I love this salad so much.” “This is such a good dinner!” Lol, yes that’s pretty much the extent of what we talked about.
Obsessed? Maybe just little ha!
Happy chicken taco salad eating, my friends. I promise, you will love every moment of it!
The Best Chicken Taco Salad
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 3 to 4 1x
- Category: Entree, Salad, Chicken, Bowls, Instant Pot, Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
Description
This chicken taco salad is a much tastier, and healthier version of the typical taco salad you will find in restaurants. Romaine lettuce is loaded with a saucy chicken taco meat that’s make in the instant pot + all of your favorite taco fixings. Easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1 batch of instant pot chicken taco meet (Click for the recipe)*
- Salad
- 1 to 3 heads romaine lettuce, finely chopped, rinsed and dried (about 1 head per person)
- 1 to 2 cans sliced black olives, drained
- Handful of cilantro leaves
- 1/3 to 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced (or any kind of tomato)
- Cotija cheese, crumbled (or use shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack or whatever you like)
- Optional: Tortilla strips, or crushed tortilla chips**
- Topping/”dressing”
- A few dollops of light sour cream
- 2 ripe avocados
- Juice of 1 lime
- garlic powder, to taste
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the instant pot chicken taco meat: As stated in the notes you can either make this recipe the same time as you make the salad (add 20 minutes on to your cook time), it’s very hands off and easy to make so it’s doable. OR you can make the chicken taco meat in advance making this recipe a great for weeknights.
- Prepare the veggies: If making the taco meat at the same time as the salad while it’s cooking prepare all your veggies as stated above. Also keep in mind that the amounts written are a rough estimate, you can use any amount of veggies or toppings you prefer.
- Make the guacamole topping/dressing: scoop the flesh of the avocados into a medium mixing bowl, mash with a fork or a potato masher. Add lime juice, garlic powder to taste, and salt to taste, set aside.
- Reheat the chicken taco meat: If you made the chicken taco meat in advance you can reheat it in the microwave. OR you can eat the chicken cold, which is just as good…and prevents the lettuce from wilting.
- Assemble: Add the romaine lettuce to a serving bowl or individual bowls. Top the lettuce with as much taco chicken meat as you want, all of the veggies, crushed tortilla chips (if using), and crumbled cotija cheese. Add a good dollop for two of sour cream and the guacamole (these our the dressings).
- Serve: serve the salad immediately. Toss just before serving or eating for a nice coating of the chicken taco meat juices, guacamole, and sour cream on all the veggies. This salad is best assembled just before eating it, but the chicken taco meat will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
*Instant Pot Chicken taco meat I suggest making a batch of the chicken taco meat in advance and making it into tacos (you will have plenty of meat for both meals), or as meal prep – then using the leftover chicken taco meat make the salad. You totally can make both at the same time as the instant pot method only takes 20 minutes to make, but having that already cooked makes the salad a breeze and a great weeknight meal. Just keep in mind that if you do make the chicken meat at the same time as the salad you will need to add 20 minutes onto your total cook time.
Slow cooker: There are directions for a slow cooker method in the notes of the chicken taco meat recipe.
Tortilla chips: tortilla chips are not pictured on the salad because of a photo styling decision, and TBH I didn’t miss them, you get enough crunch from the romaine. Feel free to add some, they are very tasty!
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