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This creamy Southwest dressing is packed with zesty lime and bold spices, ready to upgrade your favorite bowl of greens! It takes less than 10 minutes and only a few pantry staples to make.

Salad dressings are always better homemade! No preservatives and fresher flavor. Try these other recipes next: homemade Caesar dressing, green goddess dressing, and poppyseed dressing!

Southwest Salad Dressing

Skip the store-bought stuff! This homemade Southwest dressing packs just as much flavor, minus all the additives and preservatives! It’s creamy and cool thanks to the sour cream and mayo, but what really makes it good is the addition of lime juice and Southwest seasoning. (A tasty mix of spices like chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic, and herbs!)

This Southwest dressing has the perfect amount of flavor and a wonderful creamy texture. Try it in this Santa Fe salad, a combination of all the best Tex-Mex ingredients!

Ingredient List

Only a few simple ingredients make up this Southwest dressing. Here’s what you’ll need from your fridge and pantry:

Sour Cream and Mayonnaise: The creamy base, together they make the dressing rich and tangy.

Milk: Adjusts the consistency of the dressing. It also adds a little extra creaminess.

Minced Cilantro: For bright, herby flavor. If you’re not a fan, you can also leave it out. Parsley is another herb that works as a substitute.

Lime Juice: Fresh is best, so the dressing has a pop of bright, zesty flavor.

Southwest Seasoning: You can use storebought southwest seasoning or make your own blend to tweak the flavor!

Salt and Pepper: Add to taste.

How to Make Southwest Dressing

It’s so easy, and only takes a few minutes! You’ll never want store-bought again.

Whisk: In a medium bowl whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, cilantro, lime juice, southwest seasoning, and salt and pepper.

Serve: Pour over your favorite salad and then enjoy!

Sheet pan eggs are not only fluffy and full of flavor, but the best way to meal prep eggs or feed a crowd! Add your favorite mix-ins and serve as-is or use them to make breakfast sandwiches or as a topping for avocado toast!

No matter how you make them, eggs are one of the best ways to enjoy a satisfying breakfast! We make some type of eggs almost every morning, and there are so many different ways to serve them. Try flavorful crustless quiche, these fuss-free baked scrambled eggs or these perfectly-portioned egg muffins.

Sheet Pan Eggs Recipe

Up your breakfast game with sheet pan eggs! There’s no better way to whip up a quick, delicious breakfast to feed lots of hungry mouths. You won’t have to hassle with standing over the stove and cooking a few eggs at a time! By using a single sheet pan, you add your favorite mix-ins and let the oven do all of the work.

Similarly to other egg recipes like scrambled eggs or an omelette, you can customize these to your liking! We’re adding in our favorite ingredients like red bell pepper, bacon, green onions and spinach. The result is a pan of baked eggs with the texture of a frittata that are wonderfully fluffy and flavorful. They’re a breeze to prepare, easy to serve, and everyone will love them. They are great for food prepping, holiday breakfasts or just having plenty eggs to go around and keep everyone full until lunch. Such a convenient way to make a large breakfast without too much fuss. Here’s what you need to make them!

Ingredients Needed

This sheet pan eggs recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients. And the best part is they come together so easily to create a sheet of deliciously soft, savory goodness!

Eggs: This recipe uses a full carton of large eggs!

Heavy Whipping Cream: Combined with the eggs to give them a fluffy texture and make them perfectly rich.

Bacon: Crispy and delicious, bacon and eggs are a match made in heaven!

Red Bell Pepper: Finely chopped sweet peppers give the eggs a little texture and freshness in every bite!

Green Onions: For savory onion deliciousness.

Salt and Pepper: To taste! 

Spinach: Increases the nutrients while adding color.

How to Make Sheet Pan Eggs

Sheet pan eggs are so quick and easy to whip up. They are great for holiday brunches or hosting overnight guests. Looking for more sheet pan breakfast recipes? Try this recipe for sheet pan pancakes!

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a sheet pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper then spraying it down with non-stick cooking spray again.

Beat the Eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy whipping cream. Set aside.

Fry the Bacon: Heat a skillet over medium high heat, cook the bacon until it has reached the desired doneness. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it on some paper towels to cool. Chop the cooled bacon into bits.

Sauté the Bell Pepper: Remove most of the bacon grease from the pan, leave about 1 tablespoon. Add the chopped bell pepper to the pan and sauté until it is tender and just begins to brown.

Combine All Ingredients: Add the bacon bits, cooked bell pepper, green onions, spinach, and salt and pepper to the egg mixture. Whisk everything together.

Bake: Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan and bake it for 12-15 minutes or until the eggs are thoroughly cooked through.

Serve: Remove from the oven, cut into sections and enjoy!

Cook the bacon until crispy and chop

Sauce the diced peppers until tender

Combine the whisked eggs, milk, veggies, and bacon

Pour into the prepared sheet pan

This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is light and fluffy with just the right amount of silky smooth frosting on top. If you have overripe bananas, this is the way to use them!

If you love this banana cake, here are a few more recipes you’ll have to make afterwards: banana bread bars, banana oatmeal cookies, or chocolate banana bread for something a little different (but still so delicious!)

Banana Cake Recipe

So I am pretty much the worst at judging how many bananas to buy. (And how many we’ll end up eating!) Either we run out too soon or have way too many that all seem to ripen at the same time. You can only eat so many bananas in a day and by the next day they’re too ripe… so I guess all that’s left to do is to make some yummy banana cake with cream cheese frosting!

This recipe is everything that makes banana bread great, but in sheet cake form! Super easy to make for a crowd, and always a hit. So grab those overripe bananas and get ready to make this easy cake that you won’t be able to stop eating!

Everything You’ll Need

Cake Ingredients

Unsalted Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the cake. (Plus, it gets browned to make it even more delicious!)

Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: Both work to sweeten the banana cake.

Eggs: Bind all the ingredients together!

Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the cake.

Sour Cream: Adds moisture and tanginess to the cake, and also helps to tenderize the crumb. Don’t skip it!

Mashed Bananas: For sweetness, moisture, and banana flavor. Ripe and overripe bananas work best here!

All-Purpose Flour: The main dry ingredient that provides structure to the banana cake.

Baking Soda: Leavening agent that helps the banana cake rise.

Salt: Just a little bit helps to balance all of the flavors.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

Unsalted Butter & Cream Cheese: These two make the base of the frosting, adding richness, creaminess, and structure.

Vanilla Bean Paste: Flavors the frosting. You can also use pure vanilla extract as a substitute!

Milk: Thins the frosting to a spreadable consistency.

Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and also makes it nice and smooth.

Salt: Balances the sweetness of the frosting.

Mix wet ingredients

Add try ingredients

Pour into prepared pan

Mix the frosting

How to Make Banana Cake (and Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting!)

For the Cake:

Preheat Oven, Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13 inch metal baking pan with pan spray, a spray with flour is best.

Brown the Butter: Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat and then let the butter cool to room temperature.

Banana Mixture: Add the browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the sour cream and mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is thoroughly combined. 

Combine With Dry Ingredients, Bake: Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 33-35 minutes, until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.

Cool and Frost: Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

Cream Cheese Mixture: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.

Mix in Remaining Ingredients: Add the vanilla bean paste, milk, powdered sugar, and salt and mix until combined and smooth.

Frost: Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Then top with sliced fresh bananas if desired and serve.

Say hello to your new favorite lunch: this honey-glazed salmon bowl made with juicy air fryer salmon bites, broccoli, and shredded carrots over white rice!

Quick and easy lunches are where it’s at! Here are a few more tasty recipes that are perfect for busy lifestyles: Korean ground beef and rice bowls, chicken and rice meal prep bowls, or honey buffalo chicken wraps! They’re also great for meal prep, so you can enjoy them throughout the week!

Honey-Glazed Salmon Rice Bowls

I get a lot of requests for quick and easy lunch recipes, because let’s be honest, none of us have time to be slaving away in the kitchen every day! (Which if you haven’t already gotten a copy, you need my Tried & True Cookbook! It’s full of simple recipes!) This recipe for honey glazed salmon bowls has truly been a life-saver for those times when I have a million and one things to do… but I still want a tasty, wholesome meal! Plus, it’s macro-friendly and fits easily into my diet.

To make it you just need white rice, (or a rice alternative, see below for low-carb options!) a pound of salmon filets, a few pantry staple seasonings, and your favorite veggies! Trust me you guys- once you get a taste of this salmon you’ll be hooked. It’s made with such simple ingredients but tastes like it came straight from a restaurant! And the best part? Even my youngest approves. And she usually doesn’t like anything but chicken nuggets, so that’s a major win!

Ingredient List

Salmon Filet: You’ll need about a pound’s worth of skinless, boneless salmon. Cut it into cubes that are all about the same size so they cook through evenly!

Salt and Pepper: Give the salmon its first layer of flavor. Adjust according to your tastes!

Soy Sauce: The base of the sauce for the honey glazed salmon bowls. It adds a savory flavor and also keeps the salmon nice and tender. Use low-sodium soy sauce if you don’t want your bowls to turn out too salty. (I used regular soy sauce, but it’s all up to preference!)

Honey: For some sticky-sweet goodness!

Minced Garlic: Because you can never have too much garlic, especially in these tasty salmon bowls! The fresh garlic helps to balance out the sweetness in the dish for a well-rounded flavor.

Rice Bowls / Assembly

Vegetables: I used shredded carrots and broccoli florets, both precooked to save time! I also added some sliced green onions on top of my bowl for extra flavor.

Cooked White Rice: To help fill you up! You can also use brown rice or a mix of rice and grains for more fiber.

Sesame Seeds: Optional, but I love the extra flavor and texture that sesame seeds add.

How to Make Honey Glazed Salmon Bowls

The salmon only takes 6 minutes to cook, but 15 minutes to marinate. So use that time to assemble your bowl and steam any veggies if necessary!

Preparing the Salmon

Cut Salmon: Cut the salmon filet into one-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.

Sauce Mixture: In a medium-sized bowl add the soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Whisk together until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade to brush on the salmon during the cooking process.

Toss: Add the salmon to the remaining marinade and toss to coat. Then marinate for 15 minutes.

Air Fry: Place the marinated salmon bites in a single layer into the air fryer. You may need to cook a couple of batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes.

Add More Glaze, Cook Again: Open the air fryer and brush the reserved glaze on the salmon bites. Close the basket and cook for an additional 3 minutes. The internal temperature for salmon should be 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Assembling Your Bowl

Add Your Favorite Toppings: Enjoy the salmon over rice with the cooked shredded carrots, broccoli, and green onion.

Garnish: Garnish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of additional soy sauce if desired.

Cut the salmon into bite-sized cubes

Whisk together the marinade

Marinate the salmon

Air fry the salmon bites

You will love the tasty flavors in this Monterey spaghetti! Tender spaghetti baked in a cheesy mixture and loaded with spinach and crispy fried onions. It’s a surprisingly delicious combination of flavors and an easy weeknight dinner!

Pasta dishes are always a crowd pleaser and this one does not disappoint! It’s one of those recipes that everyone keeps going back for more. Try more of my crowd-pleasing pasta dishes like this classic manicotti, my million dollar spaghetti, or our new favorite, marry me chicken pasta!

Easy Monterey Spaghetti

This unique and delicious Monterey spaghetti will be hit at the dinner table! Although it is meatless, it’s loaded with lots of creamy protein-packed cheeses. Sour cream, parmesan cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and an egg create a heavenly cheese mixture that gets tossed with spaghetti, spinach, and crispy fried onions. As it bakes, the result is incredible! The texture and flavors from the crispy fried onions take this pasta dish to the next level.

It’s great for a weeknight meal, but you can also serve it as a side dish since it’s meatless. Any way you enjoy it is delicious! Complete this meal by serving it with a beautiful wedge salad, breadsticks, and a side of fruit.

Ingredients You Will Need

Monterey spaghetti is really simple to put together and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. It’s so easy that even your kids can help you make it! You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.

Spaghetti: Spaghetti noodles are cooked and drained before assembling.

Monterey Jack Cheese & Parmesan Cheese: The perfect flavor combination of cheeses to melt as it bakes!

Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream is best!

Ricotta Cheese: The addition of ricotta adds to the creaminess.

Egg: Binds the cheese mixture together.

Salt and Pepper: Season to taste.

Garlic Powder: Adds a garlic flavor that compliments all of the ingredients.

Frozen Chopped Spinach: Thaw and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Crispy Fried Onions: These tasty fried onions get mixed into the spaghetti and sprinkled on top! You can’t have enough of these in my opinion.

Monterey Spaghetti Recipe

Everyone has spaghetti noodles in their pantry! Just stop at the store and grab any remaining ingredients you don’t have on hand. Now dinner can be prepped and in the oven in 20 minutes. I love easy one-pan dinners and this one is certainly a keeper!

Cook and Drain the Spaghetti: Break the spaghetti in half and cook it according to the package directions until it is al dente. Drain then set aside.

Preheat Oven/ Prep the Baking Dish: Before you assemble this recipe, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the Cheeses, Sour Cream, Ricotta Cheese, Egg, and Seasonings: In a large bowl, whisk together the Monterey jack cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Add the Spinach, Fried Onions, and Spaghetti to the Cheese Mixture: Add the spinach, 3 ounces of the crispy fried onions, and cooked spaghetti to the cheese mixture. Toss thoroughly to combine the ingredients altogether.

Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Add Toppings and Finish Baking: After 30 minutes, spread the remaining fried onions and parmesan cheese on top of the spaghetti. Bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.

Serve: Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Cook and drain the spaghetti noodles

Combine the pasta, cooked spinach, and crispy onions

Mix the cheeses, sour cream, seasonings and egg

Combine the pasta and cheese mixture then bake

In this simple carrot salad, crisp matchstick carrots, walnuts and sweet craisins come together to make a fresh and vibrant salad with wonderful flavors and textures. Finish with a light lemon vinaigrette for an incredible side dish!

From savory to sweet, carrots add such deliciousness to recipes. They provide flavor, texture and nutrition. Some of our favorite recipes with carrots are Carrot Soup, Carrot Cake Roll and these wonderful classic Glazed Carrots.

Carrot Salad Recipe

Looking for a light, bright dish that goes with everything? Give this carrot salad a try! It’s made with simple, nourishing ingredients and it’s fantastic for springtime, but it’s actually great to enjoy all year round. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare, and it’s also really tasty chilled, making it perfect to prep ahead of time! It’s my go-to for bringing to any potluck or get-together!

Trust me when I say that you’ve got to make this recipe! It’s a crowd-pleaser that will make everyone ask for a second helping. It’s also versatile enough to pair with so many main dishes! Try it as a side dish paired with honey-glazed ham, air fried chicken or even salmon.

What’s in a Carrot Salad?

This carrot salad recipe comes together with wholesome, fresh ingredients that taste great! The dressing is the perfect finishing touch to really make this dish shine! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Carrots: Look for carrots that are firm and free of cracks or splits. Use multicolored or tricolored for a gorgeous presentation!

Walnuts: Adds a nutty crunch!

Craisins: The sweet, chewy dried fruit is a great complement to the earthy, crisp carrots.

Dressing

Lemon Juice: Zesty and fresh, lemon juice adds the right amount of citrus to this salad.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps to brighten the salad and give it a nice little tang.

Olive Oil: Gives the dressing the perfect consistency.

Honey: 1 tbsp for just a hint of sweetness.

Dijon Mustard: For some zippy flavor! It also binds to the oil and vinegar to keep the vinaigrette emulsified (mixed), so the oil and vinegar don’t separate.

Thyme: Adds a nice herby flavor.

Salt & Pepper: 1 tsp of each to enhance the flavor.

How to Make Carrot Salad

Julienning the carrots is the most time-consuming part of throwing this together. It’s really quite simple, though, and so worth it.

Prep: Prepare the carrots by washing and julienning them (thin matchstick cut). Toss the carrots into a bowl with the walnuts and craisins.

Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper.

Toss and Serve: Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately, or cover and place in the fridge for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop and soak into the carrots.

Weeknight dinner made easy with this crockpot salsa chicken! Tender and flavorful chicken that only takes 5 ingredients to make. It’s a versatile recipe the whole family will love!

The crockpot is my secret weapon for dinnertime on those busy days!  For more Mexican-inspired crockpot dinners I have you covered. Try this barbacoa beef, my tender pork carnitas, or this tasty chicken fajita soup. 

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

I love an easy crockpot recipe that’s easy to make and delicious to come home to! This salsa chicken is loaded with tender chicken, tasty salsa, and seasoned with taco seasoning and lime juice! The best combination of flavors to slow cook your chicken all day. And the best part is that the options are endless for serving this salsa chicken. Everyone can enjoy it just the way they like it. My kids love this chicken on top of nachos after school!

Any way you choose to serve this salsa chicken will be a hit! Just be sure to serve it with homemade guacamole and pico de gallo because the toppings always take Mexican-inspired dishes to the next level!

Salsa Chicken Ingredients

It doesn’t get any easier than a 5 ingredient dinner! You’re going to love how easy this salsa chicken is to prepare and how inexpensive it is with just 5 simple ingredients. Follow the recipe card below for exact measurements!

Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breast is my favorite, but boneless skinless chicken thighs would also be delicious!

Salsa: Choose a high-quality jarred salsa since this is where much of the flavor will come from.

Taco Seasoning: I always use my homemade taco seasoning because it’s so quick and easy to make! It also lasts up to 6 months!

Chicken Broth: Adds flavor as it cooks all day in the chicken broth.

Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice is a must!

How to Make Salsa Chicken

Let’s get started! It’s so simple, that you’ll want this recipe in your weekly rotation. It only takes 5 minutes to throw it altogether then the crockpot does all the work. It’s also great for meal prep! Make a big batch and serve this salsa chicken all week long in tacos, on a salad, or in a bowl.

Add Ingredients to the Crockpot:  Place the chicken breast, salsa, taco seasoning, chicken broth, and lime juice altogether into the crockpot.

Cook: Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, take the chicken out and shred it before returning it to the crockpot, or serve the whole chicken breasts.

Add Toppings: Lastly, serve the chicken with cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, and lime wedges.

Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker

Cook on low for 6 hours

Shred the chicken

Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker

Rich and savory, Crustless Quiche is easy to make with a mix of bacon, green onions, egg custard and cheese, all baked to perfection without the hassle of a pie crust. Fluffy, creamy and filled with incredible flavor, it’s great for breakfast or any meal of the day!

Whether it’s a lazy weekend at home or for a holiday gathering, quiche is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to serve! You can make them ahead of time, they’re versatile and so delicious! Try this amazing Quiche Lorraine, this classic Ham and Cheese Quiche, this simple, yet delicious Asparagus Quiche, or this Cheesy Zucchini Quiche next!

Crustless Quiche Recipe

There’s so much to love about this crustless quiche recipe. The flavor and texture are fabulous, it’s great to make ahead of time and leftovers store well. This is one of those recipes that I like to pull out when I need a quick and easy meal that everyone will gladly devour. It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Not only is it easy to whip up on an everyday weeknight, but it also makes an impressive addition to your brunch spread, especially when you’re hosting guests. I like to make this for Easter, Mother’s Day or Christmas brunch! For the ultimate meal, serve this alongside our quick 45-minute cinnamon rolls, these cute, fluffy Dutch pancakes or decadent Nutella banana bread and this creamy poppy seed fruit salad.

Ingredients Needed

This easy quiche recipe is made with simple ingredients that come together for major deliciousness! Plus, it’s effortless to prep. Once you cook the bacon and stir all of the ingredients together, the oven does the rest of the work! You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.

Eggs: You’ll need 6 large eggs for the base of the filling.

Custard: A combinations of heavy whipping cream and whole milk come together with the eggs to create a rich, tasty egg custard.

Cooked Bacon: Fried up nice and crispy, bacon is always a favorite in quiche!

Green Onions: For a mild onion taste and a pop of color.

Cheese: We love shredded sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe, but you can really use any cheese you prefer. Shred your own from a block for the best flavor!

Seasonings: A simple mix of salt, pepper and paprika enhances and brings out all of the wonderful flavors.

How to Make a Crustless Quiche

This crustless quiche recipe is super simple to make, and it’s perfect for family breakfast or hosting your friends for a special brunch. You just mix your ingredients together in a large bowl, pour the egg mixture into the pie pan, and bake. It’s that easy!

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 12-inch pie pan with butter.

Mix Liquid Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy whipping cream, and milk until it is smooth and creamy.

Stir in Add-ins: Add in the chopped bacon, green onions, cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk everything together and pour it into the prepared pie pan.

Water Bath: Create a water bath by placing a rimmed baking sheet in the oven on the center rack, carefully place the filled pie pan in the center of the baking sheet. Pour water into the baking sheet until it fills the pan and surrounds the pie pan.

Bake: Place in the oven and bake the quiche until the center is set and no longer jiggles when it moves, about 40-50 minutes.

Cool and Serve: Carefully remove the quiche from the oven then the water bath. Allow the quiche to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and milk

Stir in the cheese, bacon, onions, and seasonings

Pour into prepared pan

Bake the quiche in a water bath

Santa Fe Salad is filled with bold southwestern flavor and has the most wonderful texture. Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, tortilla strips, avocado and cheese come together for the most amazing combination. And the creamy southwest dressing is the perfect finishing touch.

Salads, like this one, with plenty of hearty flavorful ingredients are my favorite! Try some of my other go-to salad recipes that are beyond delicious, Avocado, Chicken and Bacon, Thai Cashew, and this Autumn Salad.

Santa Fe Salad Recipe

This Santa Fe salad recipe is zesty, fresh and full of southwest flavors you are going to love. It comes together quickly with very little effort in just 20 minutes, making it a go-to when I’m short on time but need big flavor. The ingredients are full of nutrients with plenty of protein and healthy fats that allows this salad to be a satisfying main dish. However, it’s also crowd-pleasing enough to bring to potlucks and other gatherings where there’s a spread of different dishes. 

The lettuce, tomatoes and all of the veggies keep this salad light, yet filling. The taco seasoned chicken, black beans and corn give it a Mexican flair. And the black olives and avocado add flavor and texture. Add tortilla strips for a contrasting crunch and saltiness. Finally, top with the insanely delicious dressing that you’ll want to put on everything!

Ingredients Needed

The ingredients for this Santa Fe salad recipe are fresh and delicious! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements of the ingredients.

Romaine Lettuce: For the perfect satisfying crisp freshness!

Grilled Chicken Breast: Use leftover chicken or make this grilled chicken recipe.

Taco Seasoning: For coating the chicken. Use store-bought, or for maximum flavor, try my homemade taco seasoning.

Yellow Bell Pepper: Adds texture and a pop of color! Orange or red bell peppers work great too!

Cherry Tomatoes: For juicy bursts of sweetness.

Black Beans: Rinse and drain for added fiber, flavor and texture.

Corn: Canned corn is convenient and will add just a hint of sweetness in every bite.

Avocado: Halved, seeded, peeled, and diced for wonderful creaminess.

Black Olives: Buy canned sliced olives or slice them yourself.

Queso Fresco: Love this Mexican-style crumbled cheese!

Cilantro: Adds freshness! If you don’t like cilantro, simply omit it.

Salt and Pepper: To bring out all of the delicious flavors!

Dressing

Sour Cream: Adds a lovely tangy flavor to the dressing.

Mayonnaise: Balances out the tang of the sour cream while adding creaminess.

Milk: Gives the dressing the perfect consistency.

Cilantro: For fresh herby flavor. Use parsley if you don’t like cilantro.

Lime Juice: A little acid is necessary in dressings and the taste of the lime complements the ingredients in the salad.

Southwest Seasoning: You can buy this or make your own!

Salt and Pepper: To taste!

Let’s Make a Salad!

This Santa Fe salad comes together with very little effort and has the best pairing of flavors! You’re going to love it!

Prep: Wash and chop the lettuce and place it in a large bowl. Add the chicken breast to a separate bowl with the taco seasoning and toss to coat the chicken evenly. Add the seasoned chicken to the bowl of lettuce.

Combine All Ingredients: Add in the bell pepper, tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado, olives, queso fresco, and cilantro. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, cilantro, lime juice, southwest seasoning, and salt and pepper.

Toss and Serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to evenly mix all the ingredients before serving. Enjoy fresh!

Prepare and cut all of the ingredients

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl

Cheesy, creamy, and loaded with ranch flavor and chunks of juicy chicken, ‘Crack Chicken’ pasta is a dinner that will have everyone raving! And as if you needed more reason to make it, it’s ready in 30 minutes from start to finish!

We’re pretty big fans of Crack Chicken around here. Once you try it you’ll see why! Crack chicken dip, crack chicken soup, and crack chicken sliders are some of my other favorites!

Cheddar Ranch Chicken Pasta

If there’s any recipe that’s always a hit with my family, it’s this one. I mean, you just can’t go wrong with penne pasta tossed with bacon and juicy chicken pieces in a creamy, ranchy sauce. Called ‘Crack Chicken’ for a reason, you won’t be able to stop once you have a taste!

The Crack Chicken sauce is a tasty blend of sour cream, cream cheese, chicken broth, onion and garlic, and most importantly- dry ranch seasoning! The flavor is seriously the best. Savory, tangy, rich, and creamy. Crack chicken pasta is a must-make and most definitely picky eater-approved.

Ingredient List

I love that Crack Chicken pasta uses so many pantry staples. You’ll have a lot of these ready to go! If you’re looking for exact measurements, they can all be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Penne Pasta: Penne’s little tubes are perfect for holding all that delicious Crack Chicken sauce.

Bacon: Chopped up bacon adds salty and smoky flavor. Use precooked bacon to save time!

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: The main protein in our pasta. Make sure you cut it into similar sized pieces so it cooks evenly.

Salt and Pepper: Season to taste!

Yellow Onion and Garlic: Chopped to add savory flavor.

Chicken Broth: This forms the base of the sauce.

Sour Cream: Sour cream adds tang and helps thicken up the sauce. You can also use plain Greek yogurt if you wish.

Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese creates a smooth and rich texture in the sauce.

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix: Adds that signature Crack Chicken flavor!

Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Melts down beautifully and also adds cheesy flavor.

Green Onion: Chopped for garnish!

How to Make Crack Chicken Pasta

One of the best things about this Crack Chicken pasta recipe is that it’s all made in one pot for easy cleanup! A dinner that everyone loves but is also easy to clean up after is a win in my book.

Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water, then set aside.

Cook Bacon: In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium high heat until it is just crispy, remove from the pot and place on a paper towel.

Sear Chicken: Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the pot. Chop the chicken into 1 inch cubes and add it to the pot, season with salt and pepper and saute until it is just seared on all sides.

Cook Vegetables: Add in the onion and continue to saute until the chicken is cooked through and the onion is translucent. Add in the garlic and saute another minute.

Combine Sauce Ingredients: Pour in the chicken broth, sour cream, cream cheese, ranch packet, salt, pepper, parsley, and chopped cooked bacon. Then stir to incorporate everything well. Bring the creamy sauce to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low.

Mix in Cheese and Pasta: Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and cooked pasta, stir to combine. Simmer everything together for about 5 minutes.

Serve: Remove the pot from heat and serve the crack chicken penne pasta with chopped green onion on top.

Gather the ingredients

Cook the chicken pieces, onion, and garlic

Add the broth, cheeses, seasonings, and bacon pieces

Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine