Description
This vibrant Cowgirl Salad is a colorful and flavorful Santa-Fe style dish packed with fiber and protein. Featuring romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, peppers, and a zesty peanut lime dressing, it’s topped with either Cajun-spiced grilled chicken or crispy tofu for a satisfying meal. Perfect for impressing guests or a wholesome family dinner, it offers easy modifications for vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Dressing
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons natural smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (from 1–2 limes)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Cajun Chicken or Tofu
- 1 350 g package extra firm tofu OR 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- avocado oil or olive oil for cooking
- 1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Salad Ingredients
- 2 heads (10 cups) torn romaine lettuce (bite size pieces)
- 1 540 ml can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup corn (cooked and cooled)
- 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped pitted Medjool dates
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta or vegan feta (optional)
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 avocados, sliced or diced
- Tortilla chips for serving (optional)
- 1 lime, cut in wedges for serving
Instructions
- Make the Salad Dressing: Combine extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, roasted peanuts, natural smooth peanut butter, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, garlic, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken or Tofu: For chicken, preheat grill or pan on medium heat. Drizzle each chicken breast with 1 teaspoon oil, rub in, sprinkle with Cajun spice mix and salt. Grill until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), then rest covered with foil. For tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and pat dry. Toss with 1-2 teaspoons oil, Cajun spice mix, and salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium heat, fry tofu until golden brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Assemble the Salad: Place torn romaine lettuce in a large bowl or platter. Add black beans, corn, diced bell peppers, chopped dates, feta (if using), and red onion. Just before serving, add sliced or diced avocado on top. Place grilled chicken or cooked tofu over the salad. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve with tortilla chips and salad dressing on the side. Alternatively, toss salad with dressing before adding avocado, protein, and lime.
Notes
- To make this salad vegan, use tofu instead of chicken, replace feta with vegan feta or omit it, and substitute honey with maple syrup.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure all ingredients such as soy sauce are certified gluten-free.
- Double the chicken or tofu quantities when serving a larger or hungrier group.
- Serve dressing on the side to keep the salad fresh if preparing in advance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling, Pan-frying, Blending
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (approximately 1 large salad bowl)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
Keywords: bean salad, cowgirl, Earl’s, santa fe, Mexican salad, Cajun chicken salad, tofu salad, peanut dressing
