Southwest Shrimp Salad with Creamy Salsa Dressing
This is my favorite salad to make when I’m craving some ChicFilA southwestern salad with that creamy salsa dressing.
Shrimp are always my go-to protein for a few reasons. First, they are ridiculously fast to cook. Second, the seasonings all seem to stick and flavor the shrimp perfectly. Lastly, we are always left satisfied and never stuffed! I love when I can move after a meal.
This salad reads like a deconstructed taco with some crunchy corn tortilla chips thrown in to complete the dish. In fact, I would not skimp on any of these ingredients. They all come together to create the ideal BIG southwest salad experience.
And now onto this incredible salad dressing. The one I’ve posted is so delicious and simple to make – you will become a fan too!
Southwest Shrimp Salad with Creamy Salsa Dressing
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb wild shrimp, deveined + deshelled
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp old bay seasoning (or more paprika)
For the Salad:
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1 pint mini tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large cucumber, peeled + sliced
- 1 cup corn
- 1 small red onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup mexi blend cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup tortilla chips, crushed
Creamy Salsa Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 lime juiced + zested
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
For the Shimp:
- Rinse and pat dry your shrimp. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the oil and all their seasonings until all are fully coated. Heat a pan on medium high heat and cook the shrimp for a few minutes per side. Don’t over cook!
For the Salad:
- Combine all of the ingredients with the shrimp in an extra large bowl.
For the Dressing:
- Puree all of the ingredients in a small food processor until smooth – about 30 seconds.
