Ensalada de Pollo con Maiz y Frijoles Negros (Chicken, Corn and Black Bean Salad)
Smoky grilled chicken, charred sweetcorn and black beans over crisp lettuce with fresh pico de gallo and a sharp lime dressing.
Made with Fresh pico de gallo and Mexican black beans and Fajita seasoning mix. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.65 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rub the chicken with the first tbsp of olive oil and the fajita seasoning mix (see the base recipe), pressing it in on both sides.
- 2
Heat a griddle pan or frying pan over a high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until golden with no pink and the juices running clear. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
11 min - 3
In the same pan, cook the sweetcorn over a high heat for 4 minutes until charred in places.
4 min - 4
Warm your Mexican black beans (see the base recipe) gently in a small pan, then drain off the liquid.
- 5
Whisk the lime juice with the remaining oil and a pinch of salt for the dressing.
- 6
Arrange the lettuce on plates and top with the beans, sweetcorn, sliced chicken, pico de gallo (see the base recipe) and avocado. Drizzle over the dressing.
Tips
- Butterfly or flatten thick chicken breasts so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Rest the chicken before slicing so the juices stay in the meat and the salad is not watery.
- Charring the sweetcorn adds smoky flavour. Use a dry pan and leave it undisturbed for a minute at a time.
- Add crushed tortilla chips or tostadas for crunch just before serving.
Storing and freezing
Keep the chicken, beans and corn separately in the fridge for up to 2 days, cooled within 1 to 2 hours. Assemble the salad fresh with new lettuce and avocado just before eating.
Questions
Can I make this ahead for lunch?
Yes. Pack the cooked chicken, beans and corn in one container and the lettuce, pico and avocado separately. Add the dressing just before eating to keep the leaves crisp.
Can I use tinned black beans?
Yes. Drain and rinse a 400 g tin and use about half of it here. Warming them first helps them soak up the flavours.
Can I swap the chicken for something else?
Yes. Prawns, steak strips, pressed tofu or halloumi all work well with the same spice rub. Adjust the cooking time to suit.
More made with fresh pico de gallo
Bistec a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Steak with Tomato and Chilli)
DFEFNFTacos de Mar y Tierra (Surf and Turf Tacos with Chicken and Garlic Prawns)
GFDFEFTostadas de Atún con Chipotle (Chipotle Tuna Tostadas)
GFDFNFEnsalada de Frijol, Elote y Pico de Gallo (Pot Bean, Sweetcorn and Tomato Salad)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.