SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NEW RECIPES IN YOUR EMAIL!

The Café Sucre Farine

A food blog with healthy, delicious recipes.

You are here: Home / Salads / Mexican Chopped Salad

Mexican Chopped Salad

Total Time: 50 minutes
Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
Pin
Share
Email
Tweet
239K Shares

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.

This Mexican Chopped Salad is perfect with any Mexican meal and always gets rave reviews! It’s also delicious spooned over chicken, shrimp or pork or beef!

This might seem a little strange, but it makes me really happy to come home from the grocery store or farmer’s market loaded down with all sorts of beautiful, fresh produce. And if I find it for a super-duper price, well, let’s just say I’m like a little pig in mud. This Mexican Chopped Salad is the result of a recent trip to the market.

Photo of dressing being poured on a bowl of Mexican Chopped Salad.

I always have fun deciding what to do with my stash of fresh goodies. I’ve been rolling around ideas for a Mexican Chopped Salad for a while now. So when I found tiny sweet peppers, red onions, fresh succulent corn and zucchini, all on sale this week, I did a little happy dance, knowing it was time to make that south of the border-inspired salad happen.

What is jicama?

I just needed to find one more item; the item that could very likely win “the ugliest member of the produce aisle” award. Can you guess what I might be?

One small jicama (pronounced hē-kə-mə) is what I needed to complete my salad. Jicama is often used in South American cooking. The plant is native to Mexico and jicama is used commonly in Mexican cooking. I love to use it in salsas and salads as it gives a lovely, slightly sweet crunch, and doesn’t lose its crispness over time.

If you’ve never purchased jicama before, don’t be surprised when you finally find it looking like a speckly, brown, misshapen potato. But there’s lots of nutritional goodness hiding under that humble surface.

Jicama is low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, iron and vitamin C. I would describe the taste and texture as a cross between an Asian pear, a potato and an apple. Pick one up next time you’re at the grocery, you may discover a new culinary friend! Jicama is wonderful in salads and can also be cut in sticks and eaten with dips like hummus and dips.

Image of Mexican Chopped Salad with serving bowls and dressing.

Back to my Mexican Chopped Salad. It’s the kind of salad I can never get enough of; fresh, vibrantly colored, loaded with flavor. Eating it, makes me feel energetic and healthy. The dressing is light and bright, with just a few ingredients; fresh lime juice, honey, a clove of garlic and a splash of oil. A pinch of cumin along with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper finishes it off perfectly. I love simple recipes like this.

If you like a little crunch in your salad, as we do, be sure to pick up a package of corn tortillas. That’s what you’ll use to make the crispy topping for this wonderful salad. Just slice them up, drizzle with a bit of oil and pop the pan in the oven till they’re gloriously golden brown; a perfect complement.

Closeup photo of a turquoise bowl of Mexican Chopped Salad.

Okay, and one little secret I have to share. See how all the veggies are chopped perfectly to the same size in this Chopped Mexican Salad? That’s not me. Nope, if I was doing the chopping, they’d be all random sizes. I have this Vidalia Chop Wizard that I’d have a hard time managing without. When I want to make a pot of soup or a salad with lots of chopped veggies in a hurry, I just pull out this little magic chopper and 1-2-3 I’m done!

Collage image of Vidalia Veggie Chopper and veggies chopped with it.

What to serve this salad with:

  • Perfect with any Mexican entree; tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, etc
  • Delicious spooned on top of nachos.
  • Serve it with chips (just omit the lettuce).
  • Delicious with grilled chicken, seafood, pork or beef.
  • A wonderful side to serve with burgers.
  • Make a healthy, whole meal salad by adding rotisserie chicken.
  • This salad is perfect for potlucks and picnics as it goes so well with everything. Don’t expect leftovers, you’ll be sure to come home with an empty bowl!

If you’re craving fresh and delicious, be sure to add these ingredients to your grocery list. Make this Mexican Chopped Salad and enjoy it for dinner along with some grilled chicken, pork or seafood. Then pack it up for lunch the next day, as it keeps quite well. Just a warning though; all your co-workers will be drooling over your delicious, brightly colored lunch. Enjoy!

Café Tips for Making this Mexican Chopped Salad…

  • Cooking corn in the microwave is so simple and there’s no mess. See the directions below in the recipe. The husks and silks just pull away. The corn is clean and just slightly cooked, perfect for salads like this.
  • For a pretty presentation, try to chop all the ingredients about the same size. See notes above regarding this.
  • Although fresh corn is ideal in this salad, you can substitute frozen corn when fresh is not available.
  • The tortilla strips are optional and if you’re short on time, just skip them. The salad will be delicious without them. Often, if I’m serving this salad as a side to grilled entrees or burgers, I make it without tortilla strips.
  • I love red onion in this recipe as it adds such pretty color but yellow or white onion is also delicious!

Photo of a turquoise bowl filled with Mexican Chopped Salad with crisp tortilla strips in a dish in the foreground.

Do you love South-of-the-Border cuisine? Check out some of our Mexican-inspired recipes like our Homemade Flour Tortillas. We’ve gotten over 1100 comments from cooks all over the world who have fallen in love with these easy tortillas!

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Homemade Flour Tortillas

And this Mexican Honey Lime Grilled Chicken has also been super popular with our readers. It’s perfect for a cookout or summer party!

Mexican Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken - don't worry about this chicken drying out, it stays moist, tender and full of fabulous Southwest-inspired flavor!

Mexican Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

4.97 from 59 votes
Print
Mexican Chopped Salad

This Mexican Chopped Salad might just be the freshest, healthiest, most delicious salad you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. And it’s loaded with fabulous Southwestern flavor!

Author: Chris Scheuer
Image of Mexican Chopped Salad in a bowl with crisp tortilla strips.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mexican Chopped Salad
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 228 kcal
Ingredients
Ingredients for the dressing:
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • taste and add salt if needed
Ingredients for the tortilla strips:
  • 6 6- inch corn tortillas
  • 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
Ingredients for the salad:
  • 1 medium head romaine lettuce chopped in approximately 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 medium bell pepper diced in 1/4-inch pieces**, any color (I used orange)
  • ½ medium red onion diced in 1/4-inch pieces**
  • ½ medium jicama peeled and diced in 1/4-inch pieces**
  • 1 medium zucchini diced in 1/4-inch dice**
  • 4 medium tomatoes seeded and diced into 1/4-inch dice**
  • 4 ears corn if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1 1/2 cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn
  • 1 1/2 cups canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired
  • instructions
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt.

  2. In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk.
  3. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.

  4. For the corn tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400˚F.

  5. Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, widthwise, about 1/4-inch thick.
  6. Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
  7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.

  8. For the salad, place corn, two ears at a time, in the microwave and cook for 3 1/2 minutes.

  9. Remove from microwave with a hot pad and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  10. After cooling, cut bottom end of corn off, about 1 1/2 inches from end. Pull back husk and silks (almost all of the silk should easily pull away). Cut kernels from husks and set aside.
  11. Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
  12. Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side and let guests help themselves.
Calories 228kcal
Fat 8g
Saturated fat 1g
Sodium 438mg
Potassium 558mg
Carbohydrates 35g
Fiber 7g
Sugar 10g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 960%
Vitamin C 28.1%
Calcium 45%
Iron 1.6%

The Café Sucre Farine is a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program. Affiliate programs are designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but if you make a purchase through one of our links, we receive a small commission – and we continue delivering delicious recipes to you!

You may also like:

8 Dressings to Brighten Winter Salads
Slow Roasted Tomato Ancient Grain Salad
Butternut Squash Black Rice Salad

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Connie says

    This salad was great! Loved the dressing; fresh and clean tasting. I used extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. Good job!

    Reply

  3. Lorene says

    This salad is so yummy. I did it exactly how it is written. I’m serving it with an enchilada soup for a Christmas ladies luncheon. I will definitely do this salad a lot. Thank you

    Reply

  4. Dr. Linda Lou says

    What a delicious salad! We’re going to a dinner party next week and the host is making Mexican main course dishes. I volunteered to make a salad and made this one last night as a “test run” to have alongside beef enchiladas, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I did “cheat” and used crunchy tortilla strips that I found in the salad dressing aisle – this was pure laziness on my part. I also found crunchy jalapeños in the same location so we sprinkled a few of those on for some heat. Thanks so much for creating such a delicious salad that goes so well with Mexican food!

    Reply

  5. René Rich says

    This salad was great. I used dried corn instead of tortillas and frozen uncooked sweet corn. I added chipotle Tabasco to spice it up. Both my husband and I enjoyed it. No question we will make it again. We try to eat salad every other dinner and this is now moving into our mix.

    Reply

  9. Trudy Paddock says

    Hello,
    Can you describe the microwave corn technique please? How long does it cook in the microwave?
    Thank you,
    Trudy

    Reply

  11. Roslyn Nord says

    I live in Australia and have made this salad which everyone loved and now want the recipe. Unfortunately I cannot access Jicama here so suibstituted celery and an apple which still made it very tasty. What is Jicama? and whast is similar?

    Reply

    • Chris Scheuer says

      Hi Roslyn, jicama is a root vegetable that’s commonly used in Mexican food. It’s hard and crunchy and slightly sweet. Do you have daikon radishes there? That would be a similar flavor/texture. If not, I think your subs are great!

      Reply

  12. Tamara says

    So delicious! I made it with what I had on hand, and I had pretty much everything! I didn’t add the lettuce or cilantro and my red onion didn’t look so good so I used yellow instead. That dressing is so yummy in combination with all the veggies. I’ll be making this quite often!

    Reply

  13. Ms. Linda says

    I really like this salad. To make ahead, I put all the ingredients except the lettuce into a quart mason jar, gently invert back and forth to mix and store in the fridge until ready to serve, Then I add a few tablespoons to my portions of lettuce and serve. Delicious!

    Reply

  18. Elena says

    Can I use jarred jicama, or would it have a different texture? My grocery store sells it in the canned veggie aisle.

    Reply

  19. Mary J says

    After making this salad once for a family event, it is now always on the special request list. So flavorful and so colorful, and easy to make. Everyone loves it!

    Reply

  20. diana says

    Asked my sons 33 and 31 to cook for me on Mothers day they loved this salad!! 10 out of 10! Also, lees girlfriend made your amazing Pecan Buttermilk cake WOW !!! so easy with your great photos and easy directions a Total Rave about it! I had so many calls on the next day for the recipe!! I wonder could you add the” email logo” to your recipes so people like me not so computer savvy can share your treasures as I know a lot of people who don’t use facebook or twitter that would be amazing! You made my mothers day! watching my children prepare for fabulous recipes thank you again, Diana, from Toronto

    Reply

    • Chris Scheuer says

      That is so awesome Diana! I love that they cooked for you and did such a great job! It sounds like a wonderful team effort! Thanks for sharing such a special day.

      I did add an email icon to the top of the posts. Thanks so much for that suggestion!

      Reply

  21. Veronica Miller says

    Hi Chris, remember me? Been a long time since I was blogging but I still had this recipe pinned from when I actively followed you. It was the perfect side dish for a Mexican mother’s day dinner I made for a family gathering today. I made chicken enchiladas and Texas Trash bean dip, and everyone loved it all but this salad was demolished and devoured and I think they raved about it most! The dressing, made according to the recipe, was extra super sour and I had to add a lot more honey, about half a cup more! I don’t know how that is possible, perhaps my limes were on steroids for sourness or something, because everything else was perfect about the recipe. Thanks for sharing this, I will never make Mexican food again without this salad. My family won’t let me get away with not making it! haha!

    Reply

    • Chris Scheuer says

      Oh, so nice to hear from you, Veronica! Of course, I remember you! Hope you are doing well!

      I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed this salad. I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

      Reply

  22. Deana says

    Amazing good especially in hot weather. My husband’s a very picky eater and is resistant to vegetables that are it and said he would eat it again. My daughter said she hopes there’s some left so she can have it her lunch tomorrow.
    Add some lime zest for that extra yummy touch.

    Reply

  23. Kirsten Sossin says

    I made this for cinco deMayo last year and everyone loved it, they loved it so much I am making it again this year! It’s so tasty and delicious! I am not a huge fan of cilantro so I only used half of what the recipe calls for. It’s a very pretty salad and so very good…I recommend trying it!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.