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I just LOVE the flavors of the southwest! Here’s a recipe for Southwest Chicken Mason Jar salad that will be super easy to make, but won’t taste like your ordinary salad! You can make several of these at one time and store them in the refrigerator, making it an easy option for lunch on the go! (Just make sure you bring a plate or bowl with you to serve it in!)
Mason Jar Salad basics: Layering
Layering the mason jars in a certain order will help keep your veggies fresh and crisp! I opt for the wide mouth jars, as they are easier to empty than the regular jars. Also, the quart size is perfect for these salads!
- Layer one: Start with the dressing. Always put the dressing at the bottom.
- Layer two: Non-lettuce veggies. Here you’ll want to put veggies that will not absorb the dressing (such as carrots, bell peppers)
- Layer three: Soft veggies: ie. tomatoes, cucumbers
- Layer four: Proteins/Beans
- Layer Five: Romaine lettuce/leafy greens
Grilling the Chicken
The recipe calls for pre-grilled chicken. I left this open ended as you can do it however you’d like. I usually cook my chicken in batches on a non-stick skillet, and spice it up with some Mrs. Dash (the Southwest Chipotle is a GREAT option for this recipe!). After you cook the chicken, let it cool a bit before cutting it up. You can always set the chicken in the fridge to cool while you finish preparing the other foods.
The Southwest Dressing
Salsa is a GREAT way to pack in some flavor without packing in the calories. For this dressing, I combined salsa with my favorite ranch dressing. For ranch dressings, I like to get the Greek yogurt based dressings, which can be found in the refrigerated produce section (usually right next to the salad/lettuce mixes). The dressings in this section are better options, as they contain cleaner ingredients and fewer preservatives.
Southwest Chicken Mason Jar Salad
21 Day Fix Count: 1 Red, 2 Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Orange, 1 Blue (Note: I don’t count the salsa, as it is a minimal amount used).
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 Tablespoons Yogurt Ranch dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Salsa
- 3/4 cup grilled chicken, cubed
- 1/4 cup canned corn, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers...whatever you'd like!)
- 1 cup leafy greens
Instructions
- Grill chicken and set aside, allowing to cool before cubing.
- In a small bowl, combine dressing and salsa and stir.
- In mason jar, place the ingredients in the following order: dressing, chopped veggies, corn and beans, chicken, leafy greens
- Pack jar tightly, so it will remain fresher for a longer period.
Do you like this recipe? Be sure to check out my Chicken Vinaigrette Mason Jar Salad recipe.
