South of the Border Chopped Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

I love a great salad, and this one tops my list for summer…it’s full of fresh southwest and citrus flavors and I could eat it every single day. I just made it again for the first time this season, and no one could get enough. Everyone devoured it! It is a great way to use up fresh garden produce if you have it, and the dressing will blow your mind. It is crazy good on just about everything. It makes a great side dish for a BBQ or add some chicken for a hearty main course salad.

This one comes from Aimee Hada from a recipe book from years and years ago, and I have been making and enjoying it ever since with just a couple tweaks…forever grateful she shared this goodness with me. I always at least double the recipe and triple the dressing because I love having it leftover…it makes even every day salad special.

Chopped Salad

1 head of romaine lettuce, thinly shredded (if you use hearts of romaine, use 2)
1 bunch of cilantro leaves, chopped
I bunch of green onions, chopped
1 can of black beans, drained, rinsed and dried
2 cups of fresh corn or frozen corn, thawed and dried
2 avocados, chopped
1 mango, chopped (optional)
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 2-3 cups of grape tomatoes, halved
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 bag of tortilla strips or 1/2 bag of tortilla chips, broken in pieces

Toss lettuce, cilantro, and green onions, then top with remaining ingredients. Add dressing and toss well.

Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette

3 limes, juiced
1/2 c. vegetable oil (can use olive oil)
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. spice mix, recipe below

Stir together lime juice, sugar and spice mix; pour in oil to blend. Refrigerate until cold. Shake well before serving.

Spice Mix (double the recipe for this if you are tripling the dressing recipe)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. granulated garlic

Mix all ingredients together well. Keep remaining spice mix in a Ziploc bag and store until next use.

Want to try other yummy recipes? Click here.

Frequently Asked Questions: South of the Border Chopped Salad

Can I make this chopped salad ahead of time?

Make the sweet lime-cumin vinaigrette and the spice mix well ahead — both keep in the fridge and the dressing is better cold. You can also shred the romaine, chop the cilantro and green onions, and rinse and dry the beans and corn a day early. Add the avocado, feta, and tortilla strips and toss with dressing right before serving.

How do I turn this into a main dish?

Add chicken. Grilled, seasoned, or shredded rotisserie chicken all work well and turn this into a hearty main course. The dressing is sweet and citrusy enough to carry the extra protein without needing anything else changed.

What can I use instead of tortilla strips?

Half a bag of tortilla chips broken into pieces works just as well and is usually what I have on hand. Either way, add them at the very end so they stay crunchy. If you are serving the salad buffet-style, put them in a bowl on the side and let people add their own.

Is the mango necessary?

No — the mango is optional. It adds a sweet note that plays nicely against the chili powder and cumin, but the salad is excellent without it. If you skip it, the brown sugar in the vinaigrette still gives you plenty of sweetness.