By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 8
79 cal · 140 min
Southwestern Fiesta Chicken Salad
Recipe GLPReb014b0f06191e
A vibrant, zesty chicken salad bursting with fresh vegetables and aromatic southwestern spices. This light and refreshing dish features tender diced chicken combined with crisp tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, all bound together with a flavorful garlic and cumin-infused tomato juice dressing. Perfect served chilled on a bed of crisp greens, tucked into a tortilla, or as part of a summer buffet spread.
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Ingredients
1 lb. cooked chicken breast, diced
1 cup fresh tomatoes, cut into thin strips
½ cup red onion, diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
⅓ cup fresh tomato juice or vegetable juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced cooked chicken, fresh tomato strips, diced red onion, diced bell pepper, and chopped fresh cilantro. Gently toss until all vegetables and chicken are evenly distributed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, and dried marjoram until the spices are fully dissolved and the dressing is smooth.
Pour the spiced tomato juice dressing over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients with the dressing.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours, to allow the flavors to meld and develop fully.
Just before serving, give the salad a gentle stir. Serve chilled on a bed of fresh lettuce, wrapped in a warm tortilla, between bread slices as a sandwich, or as part of a cold buffet display.
Comments
This salad leans heavily on pantry staples and produce that Charlotte chains stock year-round, though the 140-minute stated time is misleading—most of that is hands-off cooking or chilling, with real prep closer to 25 minutes. The cost per serving lands around $2.50–$3.00 because chicken and bell peppers are reliable bulk buys at Walmart or Food Lion, and cilantro, cumin, and marjoram are standard grocery finds. The real strength is flexibility: it feeds eight easily, keeps well for three days in the fridge, and works as a weeknight dinner or lunch-box filler, though cilantro is the one ingredient worth checking availability on at your local stop since some shoppers find it inconsistent in winter months.
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