Mexican chicken Caesar salad is a tangy Tex Mex salad in a supper bowl. This popular restaurant copycat salad is a bright, colorful addition to any meal, and a fiesta in every bite!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details.

Salads are one of my go-to’s in the warmer months.

They fit my requirements perfectly.

I can serve it in one bowl– let’s be honest, less dishes are always a plus.

And my favorite part?

There are so many options for creative flavor pairings and mix-ins.

Big bowls of salads featuring chicken are a main stay at our spring and summer family table.

One of our favorites?

Mexican chicken Caesar salad!

What is Mexican chicken Caesar salad?

This Mexican chicken Caesar salad is a crisp, refreshing dinner salad loaded with chopped romaine lettuce and chunks of grilled chicken all tossed in a creamy, herbed ranch dressing.

Loaded with Tex Mex flavors like fresh pepper rings, pepitas, crispy tortilla strips and crumbled cojita cheese, it’s a meal that rivals some of the salads in your favorite Mexican restaurants.

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the dressing and a set for the salad itself.

For the dressing you’ll need:

Chile peppers– Anaheim chiles, seeded, roasted, and peeled
Pepita seeds– Get the kind that are roasted and salted
Garlic– Fresh, peeled garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
Salad oil– Like canola or avocado oil
Vinegar– Red wine
Cheese– Crumbled cojita
Cilantro– Fresh
Mayonnaise– Real mayo and not mayonnaise style dressing
Water

For the salad itself you’ll need:

Romaine lettuce– Rinsed, dried, and chopped
Cojita cheese– Crumbled
Red bell pepper– Cut into thin strips
Chicken breasts– 2 thin chicken breasts, grilled.
Corn tortillas– Cut into strips and fried
Pepitas– Roasted and salted

How to Make

To make this zesty Mexican chicken Caesar salad, start by making the dressing by throwing all the ingredients for the dressing except for the cilantro, mayo, and water into a blender and blending until the mixture’s smooth.

Then, add in the cilantro, a bit at a time, blending until the dressing is again completely smooth.

Once all the cilantro is incorporated, slowly add in the mayo and water, blending until the mixture’s smooth and creamy.

Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.

Now that you’ve made the dressing, you can assemble the salad.

Add the lettuce, cheese, peppers, chicken, and dressing to a large serving bowl.

Toss until everything’s evenly combined and well coated with dressing.

Serve the salad in the bowl and let everyone help themselves or dish it into individual serving bowls.

Top with the crispy tortilla strips and the pepitas just before serving.

Enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

I don’t recommend storing leftover salad.

It will get soggy and sad in the fridge.

However, you can store leftover dressing in a sealed jar for up to a week in the fridge.

Can I make this ahead of time?

I don’t recommend assembling the salad until you are ready to eat it, but you can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy the salad.

Tips and Tricks

For a little more southwestern zing, you could substitute lime juice for the red wine vinegar.
Use your favorite grilled chicken recipe in this. Anything with a Tex Mex flair will work!
You could dress the salad up more with some fresh chopped cilantro and red onion.

Other Tossed Chicken Salad Recipes

Mexican chicken Caesar salad is a favorite anytime we want a zippy salad.

Make it today and enjoy!

Looking for other tossed chicken salad recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this MEXICAN CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!