This article provides a comprehensive guide to making a keto-friendly chicken taco salad, a simple, fresh, flavorful, and easy-to-make meal perfect for weeknights or meal prepping. It's filling and hearty, thanks to all the toppings, but also light and refreshing, thanks to the crisp lettuce and cool veggies.
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Introduction
Taco salads are incredibly customizable, allowing you to incorporate your favorite flavors. If you're following a keto, low-carb, or gluten-free lifestyle, this recipe is a fantastic way to enjoy a taco salad without sacrificing taste or texture. You can easily make this keto taco salad recipe with ground meat OR with shredded chicken, it's nice to have a variety and change things up.
Why Choose Keto Chicken Taco Salad?
Many people enjoy taco salad but wonder if it fits into their health plans. This taco salad bowl recipe is low carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free. Plus, it's simple to make it dairy-free or Whole30 compliant. If you are a fan of Keto Mexican Food, then you are definitely in luck. The real food ingredients and fresh foods make it easy to adapt and adjust to fit.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken: This recipe can be made with either boneless skinless chicken thighs or ground beef. For the chicken, you can use any leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken that has been shredded without the bones and skin. Or if you'd rather, you can use this recipe: Perfectly Cooked Shredded Chicken In The Oven Or Instant Pot.
- Lettuce: Any crisp lettuce, like romaine or iceberg lettuce, works best. You could also use spring mix. The best lettuce is the lettuce you LIKE. Don’t eat salads that make you unhappy. That said, taco salad really needs some crunch, in my opinion. We usually opt for romaine. I am 100% a fan of iceberg, regardless of the fact that it has no nutritional value.
- Taco Seasoning: I highly recommend making the homemade taco seasoning and ranch dressing as the recipe calls for. You can, of course, use store-bought - but the homemade versions will taste so much better!
- Toppings: The options for toppings for this salad are endless. But, I’m using shaved sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, salsa, guacamole, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and red onion. Other options are radishes, limes, Mexican cheese blends, this low-carb substitute for Doritos, and more.
Making Keto Taco Salad
Making this keto taco salad recipe is easy.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Taco Meat Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent (~3 minutes). Add the ground meat to the pan and cook until brown. Add the taco seasoning and mix to combine. Taste the meat.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Combine the salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly on both sides of each of the boneless chicken thighs.
Or
Mix together all of the taco seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.Heat a large skillet over medium heat with NO water or oil. Add the shredded chicken and taco seasoning and stir until fragrant and chicken is well coated, 3 to 5 minutes.
Guacamole
Add all of the ingredients for the Guacamole to a small bowl. Mix with a fork. Refrigerate and allow the flavors to meld.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Pico De Gallo
Add all of the ingredients for the Pico De Gallo to a small bowl. Mix with a fork. Refrigerate and allow the flavors to meld.
Cooking the Chicken
Heat the avocado oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken thighs for 4 minutes on each side or until an internal temperature thermometer reads 165F. Remove from heat to a cutting board and slice into strips.
When you add the chicken to the skillet, do not use any oil or water! I know it seems weird, but trust me on this. By not adding any oil, it will prevent it from being soggy, and this method will make the taco seasonings really stick.
Assembling the Salad
- Place lettuce, tomato, black olives, cheddar cheese, and cilantro in a salad bowl.
- Top with the slices of chicken, fresh salsa, and the cheddar crisps.
- Enjoy!
- To assemble the salad, place one to two cups of lettuce or mixed greens onto a plate or bowl and top with the seasoned shredded chicken, avocado, tomatoes, and any other desired toppings.
Note that the salad can be served individually or in a large bowl. Place the torn lettuce in a large bowl or serving tray as the bottom layer. Then arrange the halved tomatoes, cheddar cheese, black olives, avocados, green onions, and red onions, on top of the lettuce. Place the cooked chicken on top of the salad.
Dressing Options
You may use any salad dressing you prefer. See the article above for other mix-in ideas. This is just my personal favorite taco salad.
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Our avocado salad dressing is absolutely perfect on this salad. So fresh and creamy, made with avocado, cilantro, and lime. Of course, keto ranch dressing is a win on any salad.
Stir in ½ cup of ranch dressing and set aside.Stir the salsa into the remaining ranch dressing if desired. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the salsa, Mexican crema, or sour cream thinned with two tablespoons of heavy cream and the dry seasonings.
Tips and Tricks
- Save time: Buy some toppings: You can easily make keto taco salad bowls with ingredients that you can pick up, ready-to-eat from the store. For example, the fresh foods section in most markets has fresh guacamole and pico de gallo for sale daily.
- Customize to your tastes: This salad includes many of my favorite taco toppings and doesn’t include a salad dressing. Feel free to adjust this to your tastes and preferences. The options are endless.
- Use low-carb Doritos: This taco salad tastes great and full of flavor as is, but if you’d like you can use these low-carb Doritos or your favorite keto tortilla chips recipe for added crunch and flavor.
- Cheese Crisps: Do you miss the crunchy chips like Doritos in your taco salads or an actual taco salad bowl? You have to try using cheese crisps in your taco salad! They are the perfect crunchy element. Now you too can enjoy those "taco nights" with a keto friendly alternative! Like this keto friendly recipe?
- Leftover Chicken: Use leftover chicken, like a rotisserie chicken, and just season it with the listed spices.
Recipe Variations
It's a great way to keep adding this recipe to your keto meal planning rotation with minor tweaks.
- Add raw jalapeño slices for extra spice.
- Replace the iceberg lettuce with romaine or mixed greens like a spring mix.
- Rather than diced avocado top each salad serving with a scoop of low-carb guacamole.
- Swap the pieces of chicken with ground chicken or shrimp.
- Just reduce the salt if you go this route.
Meal Prep and Storage
Great for meal prep: you can prep most of the toppings and cooked ground beef ahead of time and store them in separate bowls. This means that after a busy day, all you have to do is layer the salad.
This easy taco salad can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You’ll have the best results with storage if you keep the lettuce and other ingredients separate.
To make your low-carb taco bowls for lunches, add all ingredients to a bowl or jar except the salsa and sour cream. Wait to add those until you are going to eat them to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
Your keto taco salad will remain fresh and stored in the fridge, covered, for 3 days, as long as it does not have any salsa, sour cream, or dressing on it.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only.
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used. The keto sweeteners I use have 0g net carbs & are not included because sugar alcohols do not impact most people.
This meal contains a lot of vegetables so it generally includes quite a few carbs. You can always switch the protein your taco salad bowl.
Can You Have Taco Salad on Keto?
Yes, as long as you skip tortilla chips or bowls, and watch the items you add in for hidden carbs. Check any sauces (such as salsa) for added sugar, use full-fat dairy instead of low-fat or non-fat options, and grate your own cheese from the block instead of using shredded cheese.