Charred Corn Black-Bean Chicken Taco Salad Boxes

Taco salads grew from Tex-Mex tables that piled crisp greens with bold seasoned fillings. These lunch boxes spotlight skillet-charred sweet corn, black beans, and chili-spiced chicken for a fresh, packable spin.

Serves 4 · 20 min prep · 25 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 520 cal
• 42g protein
• 38g carbs
• 23g fat

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
• 1 can (15 oz), rinsed canned black beans
• 2 cups halved heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 2 large, chopped romaine hearts
• 2 ripe avocado
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 lime
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. 1Pat the chicken dry and season all over with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add a tablespoon of olive oil.
2. 2Cook the chicken until deeply golden on the first side, about 5 to 6 minutes, then flip and continue until the thickest part reaches 165°F, another 5 to 7 minutes. Rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-size strips.
3. 3In the same hot skillet add another splash of oil and the corn kernels. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to char, then stir and cook until many kernels are blistered and sweet, 4 to 5 minutes more. Season lightly and scrape into a large mixing bowl.
4. 4Add the rinsed black beans, halved cherry tomatoes, and most of the chopped cilantro to the corn. Squeeze the juice of two limes over the mixture and toss with a drizzle of olive oil so everything is glossy and bright.
5. 5In a small bowl whisk the Greek yogurt with the juice of the remaining lime, salt, and a little water until it reaches a pourable crema consistency.
6. 6Chop the romaine into sturdy bite-size pieces and divide among four lunch containers as the base. Top each with a generous scoop of the corn-bean-tomato mixture and the sliced chicken.
7. 7Just before sealing or serving, dice the avocados and nestle them into the boxes. Sprinkle cotija and remaining cilantro over the top.
8. 8Pack the lime crema in a small separate container so the lettuce stays crisp. When ready to eat, drizzle the crema over everything and toss lightly for a fresh, satisfying midday taco salad.