This New Mexican-inspired Chopped Salad with Green Chile is refreshing, filling, and flavorful! It’s tossed with a cumin-lime dressing, making a great vegetarian lunch or dinner.
I’ve been living in New Mexico for a little over four years now, and I can confirm that they do, in fact, put green Chile on everything, ha! If you don’t love green chile before coming here, you will when you leave. This New Mexican-inspired Chopped Salad with Green Chile has so much flavor and the ingredients are delicious!
Chopped salads are my favorite kind of salad because you get a little bit of everything in each bite. I couldn’t stop thinking about a salad I ordered at a local restaurant, and taking inspiration from that salad, I created this recipe.
New Mexican-Inspired Chopped Salad with Green Chile Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cabbage – I started adding green cabbage to my chopped salads over the summer, and it’s a game-changer. It has a great crunchy texture that holds up to salad dressings.
- Romaine Lettuce – Romaine lettuce also stands up nicely to dressings, especially if you use the crunchier ends. You can use any kind of lettuce greens you like, though.
- Green Chile – Most grocery stores sell cans of Hatch green chile. My favorite is this Young Guns Green Chile. I buy mine at Albertsons, but I don’t know if they carry it in all of them. Find a diced green Chile with whatever heat level you prefer.
- Chickpeas – I normally use black or pinto beans in a salad like this, but the restaurant uses chickpeas, and I always love those!
- Corn – Corn is always a nice addition to a chopped salad! I used canned, but you can use frozen or fresh corn, depending on the season.
- Avocado – Avocado adds creaminess and goes well with all the other ingredients. If you’re making this salad beforehand, hold off on the avocado until you’re ready to serve.
- Red Onion – I add raw red onion to all my salads because I love it so much, but if you want something milder, you can use green onion instead.
- Cojita Cheese – Cojita cheese adds some creaminess and saltiness. You could substitute feta cheese or dairy-free cheese.
- Tomato – You can use any kind of tomato you like in this salad. It isn’t tomato season right now, but cherry tomatoes would be great! I used store-bought Roma tomatoes.
- Cilantro – I love adding a fresh herb to my salads, and cilantro was the obvious choice for this salad. If you don’t like cilantro, you can instead use parsley, dill, mint, or an herb of choice.
- Cumin Lime Dressing – This cumin lime dressing is so flavorful! It’s made with olive oil, fresh lime juice, zest, garlic, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Why Your Body Will Love This Salad
- Chickpeas are super(food!) – Chickpeas contain saponins, which help fight cancer, and calcium, iron, and other nutrients that contribute to bone health. Chickpeas help the brain and nervous system function properly and contain vitamins A, C, E, folate, and magnesium.
- Digestive Health – Green chile benefits digestion by increasing the production of gastric juices and improving nutrient absorption. It’s also high in Vitamin C. Chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber, which promotes smooth digestion, carries toxins out our system, and keeps us feeling full longer. Cabbage is also a wonderful source of fiber.
- Antioxidants – Both green chile and tomato boast antioxidant power. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals in the blood, and the lycopene in tomatoes may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
Tips For Making The Best New Mexican Chopped Salad
- I like to make sure all the ingredients are chopped to a similar size. That way, you can get some of everything in each bite.
- If you don’t intend to serve the salad immediately after preparing it, I suggest leaving the avocado and dressing off. You can add them before serving so the avocado doesn’t get brown, and the salad doesn’t become soggy.
- Feel free to add other ingredients of your choice to this salad; when it comes to chopped salads, the more ingredients, the better!
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe vegan? No, I used dairy cojita cheese, but you can use a dairy-free cheese substitute.
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes!
- Can this chopped salad be made ahead of time? Yes, it can be assembled ahead of time, but I suggest leaving the avocado and dressing out until ready to eat.
- How long will salad leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, the undressed salad should last about three days.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will reply ASAP!
Looking For More Delicious Vegetarian Salad Recipes?
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New Mexico Inspired Chopped Salad with Green Chile
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This New Mexican Inspired Chopped Salad is packed with tons of delicious ingredients including fire roasted green Chile! It’s all tossed with a tangy cumin lime dressing and it’s great for lunch or a dinner side dish!
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 cup fire roasted green chili, with most of the liquid drained out
- 3/4 cup cojita cheese, or queso Fresca or feta cheese
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 medium sized avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Cumin Lime Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Juice of two limes, 1/4 cup, more if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin, more if desired
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a jar and mix until completely combined. Give the dressing a taste and add more seasonings if desired.
- Add the chopped cabbage and romaine lettuce to a large bowl and mix together. Next, add all the remaining salad ingredients and mix together well. You can either dress the entire bowl of salad if bringing to a party or potluck, or you can serve individual portions of salad and each person can dress their own salad.
Notes
It is best to add avocado to individual portions so that it doesn’t go bad if you have leftovers.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Salad, Lunch
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: New Mexican
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