Lighter Southwest Chicken and Bean Salad
A scaled-down, chilled salad featuring tender chicken breast, fiber-rich black beans, sweet corn, and savory black olives, tossed in a spiced salsa-lime dressing. It is a quick-prep, savory option perfect for on-the-go meal prep.
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
40 min
Makes
1 serving
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Helen + Lila
Helen created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthComfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
Digestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
Steadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
40 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Whisk · Mixing bowl · Knife and cutting board
Time saver
Make-Ahead Friendly: This salad tastes even better the next day as the chicken absorbs the lime and spices. Keep it in a chilled cooler bag with an ice pack if you are heading to the ballpark.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 5 steps complete
Next: Whisk together the salsa
- 01
Whisk together the salsa
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the salsa, freshly squeezed lime juice, ground cumin, garlic powder, chipotle powder, and smoked paprika until well combined to create the dressing.
Look for: well combined to create the dressing
Tap card to mark done - 02
Slice or shred the pre-cooked grilled chicken…
Slice or shred the pre-cooked grilled chicken breast into bite-sized pieces on a clean cutting board.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Combine the sliced chicken breast
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced chicken breast, black beans, sweet corn, chopped black olives, and fresh chopped cilantro.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Pour the spiced salsa dressing over the…
Pour the spiced salsa dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Look for: all ingredients are evenly coated
Tap card to mark done - 05
Transfer the salad to an airtight container…
Transfer the salad to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving or packing for your day.
Allow: 30 minutes
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