You’re about to get the recipe to one of my favorite lunches these days, the simple, versatile, entirely customizable, high-protein Smoked Chicken Taco Salad! You can prep the chicken for several of these salads on the weekend and you’ll be 10 minutes away from an incredible lunch salad that’ll keep you satisfied all day.
Smoked Chicken Taco Salad
Fast, healthy lunches have become more and more of a priority in our house, and I’m quickly finding out that failing to plan is indeed planning to fail.
My default if I don’t have something prepped and easy and ready to go is to boil some pasta, and I don’t know about you, but I get enough carbs with dinner to last a whole day, so adding more pasta at lunch isn’t the greatest idea for me.
That means I’m doing a lot more stir fry, Costco ready-made dishes from companies like Made Well that focus on high protein and lower net carbs, or salad and bowls with added protein in the mix.
Want more protein? Try this Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream recipe! It is a great way to get something sweet while also upping that daily protein count.
Why you’ll love this dish…
- Meal prep friendly! Make a big batch and eat it for dayssssss.
- Super customizable. Add (or don’t add) whatever you want to make this fit your own needs and wants.
- You’ll love the rub that we used on this! It is worth the order!
Get all of my Traeger Recipes here!
Smoked Chicken Taco Salad shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken breasts
- Spanglish Asadero Verde Rub
- Romaine lettuce
- Mexican blend cheese
- Avocado
- Tomato
- Black beans
- Sour cream
- Cilantro lime crema
- Verde salsa
- Tortilla strips
Get 75+ of my favorite Traeger Recipes here!
How to make Smoked Chicken Taco Salad
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Preheat & Prep
Fire up the smoker and get it preheated to 225°F. Prep the chicken breast by seasoning on all sides with the verde seasoning.
2
Smoke
Smoke the chicken breast for 30 minutes. Flip. Smoke for another 30-60 minutes, until the internal temperature of the breast in the thickest part reaches 165°F.
3
Make Salad
Prep all the salad ingredients while the chicken breast is smoking. Bonus points for throwing the black beans into a pot, stirring in some verde salsa, and tossing those on the smoker too.
4
Rest
Once the chicken is done smoking, let it rest for 5-10 minutes, tented, before dicing.
5
Enjoy!
Toss everything together and toss with your salsas and sauces and enjoy!
Try our Chicken Burrito Bowl too!
Smoked Chicken Taco Salad FAQ
Can this dish be made in advance?
You can prep all the ingredients in advance, but I wouldn’t assemble until right before you’re ready to eat. You know how salads get. They like to be freshly tossed.
Substitutions and Variations
This recipe is super versatile. You can use whatever your favorite Mexican-flavored rub is instead of the Spanglish Verde rub if you don’t have it on hand. You can also change up the toppings according to what you have or what you like. I’m going to make you eat those beans if you hate ‘em. This is your show, and I’m just here to make it a little more delicious.
Make our Smoked Salsa Verde!
Serve this with…
- Fresh Guacamole
- Smoked Salsa
- a Classic Margarita
More great recipes to love!
We’ve got lots of spicy Mexican-inspired dishes to love! Find something amazing below!
Tacos
- Grilled Skirt Steak Street Tacos
- Smoked Quesabirria Tacos
- Blackstone Tacos Borrachos
- Smash Burger Tacos
- Indian Fry Bread Tacos
Burritos
Enchiladas
- Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas
- Smoked Shredded Beef Enchiladas
- Traeger Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Nachos
More sides and soups and stuff
- Chilaquiles with Hatch Salsa Verde
- Easy Mexican Rice
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Pulled Pork Tortilla Soup
- Doritos Taco Salad
- Grilled Corn Salsa
- Blackstone Mexican Fried Rice
- Blackstone Mexican Pizzas
Smoked Chicken Taco Salad
Our delicious Smoked Chicken Taco Salad is the perfect weekday lunch or quick busy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons Spanglish Asadero Verde Rub (or your favorite Verde rub)
- 6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
Toppings
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup diced tomato
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup cilantro lime crema
- 1/4 cup verde salsa
- 1/4 cup tortilla strips (or broken up chips)
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 225°F.
- Season the chicken breast with the verde rub and place the breasts on the smoker.
- Let smoke for 30 minutes, flip, and then let smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove from the grill and let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into cubes.
- While the chicken is cooling, prep and assemble your salad ingredients.
- Top with the smoked chicken, toss, and enjoy!
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 679Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 536mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 16gSugar: 7gProtein: 54g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.