Every time I go to Red Robin, I face the same dilemma: I very much enjoy their southwestern-themed salad, BUT salads don’t come with bottomless fries. And if I’m being honest, the bottomless fries are a big part of why I go to Red Robin (I’m not alone in this, right?).
When I go out to eat, I tend to order things that I either can’t or won’t make at home, so I set out to create a restaurant-quality southwestern salad, hoping that having such a recipe in my repertoire would thus enable me to order fries-included options at Red Robin without all the mental back-and-forth. Inspired by (but not a precise copycat version of) the Red Robin salad, this pico de gallo grilled chicken salad has a generous heap of zesty pico de gallo (also known as salsa fresca), succulent grilled chicken, and homemade jalapeño ranch dressing. A smattering of corn, beans, and chunks of avocado round out the flavors for a salad that will leave you clamoring for seconds – if you have room, that is! This salad is quite hearty. I also splurged a little and bought fresh, house-made tortilla chips at the store. It’s worth getting the good stuff here, since the chips are the finishing touch!
In other news, tomorrow is Put On Your Cake Pants’ second blogiversary! In honor of this occasion, I thought I’d take the opportunity to look back and share my favorite recipes from the last year with you. As always, thank you so much for being here and reading along!
Clockwise, from top left: lemon blueberry cornmeal pancakes, chicken pot pie with biscuits, Mediterranean chopped salad, mimosa coffee cake, pumpkin zucchini muffins
You can also find a list of my favorites from year one here!
A big thank you goes out to the boyfriend, who handled all the preparation and grilling of the chicken!
Happy Blogiversary!!
Thank you! And thank you as well for being among my earliest readers!
Happy Blogiversary! Your recipes are fantastic!
Thanks! And thank you for being a long-time reader as well!
Congratulations on your second blogiversary! It’s a great accomplishment, and you should be very proud.
This salad looks so healthy and refreshing- I’d love some right now
Thanks so much, Jess! I could probably eat this salad for weeks on end without tiring of it. I hope you get a chance to try it!
Happy blogiversary! This salad sounds like an excellent way to celebrate. And that dressing sounds particularly fantastic.
Yay!
Thanks! It really is a good way to celebrate, strangely enough…kind of like a party (fiesta?) in a bowl!
Yaaayyyy Happy 2nd Blogiversary!!
Thanks, Orchid!
Yummy yet again…and congrats too
Thank you
That salad looks amazingly delicious. And Happy Blogiversary!
Thanks! I’m glad it caught your eye!
Looks Yum! It takes quite a salad to challenge the bottomless fries!
Haha yes, it really does! Luckily, this way I don’t have to pick – I can eat my salad at home and order fries at the restaurant
Well, I’ve never had Red Robin, but I SO love the BIG flavors in this salad. I would probably even choose it over bottomless fries.
Wow, that’s saying something! Thanks
This looks fantastic, I’m looking forward to making it!
Thanks! I hope you get a chance to try it – let me know what you think if you do!
Happy Second Blogiversary!!! Those recipes look fantastic…
Thanks so much!
Wow, girl! You are a real chef. This recipe is so easy and quick to make! Definitely recommend it to my friends. Perfect snack for Saturday party it is :-).
Thank you! I hope you get a chance to try it.
Happy Blogiversary!!!!! What a tasty way to celebrate.
Thanks, Erin! I thought about making a cake but ran out of time…but this salad is miiighty tasty, if I do say so myself
Happy Blogiversary!! This looks delicious, especially the dressing!
Thank you! Gotta love jalapeño ranch
I could eat this salad every day. Three times a day. Fabulous!
Haha wow, that’s quite a compliment! Thanks
Haha the struggle is real, and I usually let the fries win too. This salad looks amazing though. Can’t wait to try it out!
The struggle is VERY real! I hope you get a chance to try this!
Yum! This salad looks AMAZING! I didn’t even know that Red Robin has bottomless fries, but I can’t believe you don’t get them with a salad. Happy FF, and have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks, Kaila! Confession: sometimes I make sure the boyfriend is ordering something with bottomless fries, then order my salad and steal some of his fries
What a great accomplishment. Congrats on the blogiversary. The salad looks so good.
Happy FF!
Thanks so much! Happy Fiesta Friday to you as well
I could eat this salad every day. It’s gorgeous and full of goodness. The jalapeno dressing looks so yummy!
I’d be right there with you, happily nomming on this salad every day! I hope you get a chance to try it!
This salad looks delicious. Happy blogiversary!
Thanks, Natalie!
This salad is right up my alley! Basically anything with pico de gallo added in will intrigue me
Congrats on the blogiversary as well dear!
Thanks so much! I completely agree. Pico de gallo really takes things to a new level!
Nice, nice! And Happy Blogiversary!
Thank you! And thank you, as always, for hosting the lovely Fiesta Friday blog party
Happy blogiversary! And this looks delicious for dinner or lunch
Thank you! I hope you get a chance to try it!
Wow, yum!! I love southwestern flavors and they are so many in this salad
Also, happy blogiversary, you must be so excited! 
Thanks, Justine! It sounds like this salad is right up your alley – I hope you get a chance to try it sometime!
This salad looks and sounds so delicious!! Congratulations on your second anniversary of blogging!!
Thanks so much! I’m glad it caught your eye
Terrific combination of flavors. Love this!
Thank you, and thanks for stopping by!
Happy blogiversary! This salad has all the elements for deliciousness with different textures and even a crunch. My family will love it! Pinning!
Thanks so much! Let me know what you think if you try it