This homemade Southwest Dressing is so flavorful and will elevate your salad to the next level. Chipotles in adobo and fresh lime juice blended with spices and honey in a creamy luscious dressing. This recipe yields about 1 cup.
Please tell me you’ve had McDonald’s southwest chicken salad?
Normally I wouldn’t order a salad from a fast-food place (Panera Bread being the only exception) because I swear the lettuce tastes weird and all you get is those hard, white core pieces. But I was pleasantly surprised when I ordered McDonald’s Southwest Salad one night, years ago, when we were heading to Haileigh’s softball game. The salad itself was surprisingly delicious, but the Newman’s Own Southwest dressing is what really made it. When I first had it, I scoured my local grocery stores and even searched online and could not find a retailer. Newman’s Own must have made it specifically for McDonald’s. Unfortunately, since 2020, McDonald’s stopped serving salads altogether and the dressing is still not available to buy online or in stores..
Luckily, in 2018 I decided to recreate it.
To Make This Homemade Southwest Dressing You Will Need:
- mayonnaise – Adds rich flavor and creaminess.
- sour cream – Lends creaminess and tangy flavor.
- olive oil – Adds richness, flavor and helps to thin the dressing.
- honey – Adds subtle sweetness to the dressing.
- lime juice – Lends bright citrusy flavor and acidity.
- chipotle pepper (in adobo) – Adds smoky flavor and heat.
- adobo sauce – Adds additional flavor.
- apple cider vinegar – For sweetness and acidity.
- paprika – Lends color and subtle flavor.
- chili powder – Adds flavor and can be mild to moderately spicy.
- cumin (ground) – Lends earthiness and warmth, with an edge of citrus.
- garlic powder – Adds flavor that’s sweeter yet milder than fresh garlic.
- onion powder – Lends additional bold oniony flavor.
- cilantro (dried) – Adds a faint, grassy, and slightly earthy flavor with a subtle hint of cilantro.
- kosher salt – Enhances the flavors in the dressing.
- freshly ground black pepper – Adds some subtle bite and flavor.
- cayenne pepper – Gives this dressing additional spice and warmth.
To a high-powered blender add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, juice of 1 lime, 1 chipotles pepper plus 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon both garlic and onion powder, 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Secure the lid.
Flip the switch and puree until smooth and creamy.
Pour the dressing into a jar or glass bottle with a tight fitting lid and before using, refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours but overnight is best!
Store dressing in your refrigerator, and if stored properly, the dressing should last up to 7 days.
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Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Southwest Dressing recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Homemade Southwest Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey, up to 2 tablespoons
- 1 medium lime, juiced
- 1 medium chipotle (in adobo)
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, from canned chipotles
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
Instructions
- To a high-powered blender add mayonnaise, sour cream, olive oil, honey, lime juice, chipotle pepper plus the adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, dried cilantro, garlic and onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Secure the lid and blend until all ingredients are incorporated and the dressing is creamy and smooth.
- Should keep for a week or so in the fridge.
Notes
This recipe was originally posted on March 10th, 2018 and has been updated with a few minor changes, clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
THANK YOU!!! I love this salad from McDonald’s and, like you, was not expecting much, but tried it on the go on a friend’s recommendation. I was so pleasantly surprised at the quality of the salad, and the dressing absolutely made it. I tried to find the dressing also, but it appears to be exclusively for McDonald’s. So, happy dance to see your post this morning! Guess what I’m making this afternoon? And, I have your wonderful cookbook so will be looking up the adobo seasoning recipe. Can’t wait to try!
Oh yay!! I’m glad I’m not alone with my love for that dressing, Jaimie!! IMHO this is as close to it as I could possibly get it, but I would love to know if you tweak it at all 🙂 Enjoy!
but also tell me about that salad underneath the dressing, please!
Hi Danielle! I just used baby romaine, leftover chicken from my Mexicali nachos with diced peppers, tomatoes, avocado and cheddar jack cheese. 🙂
This was definitely a hit! I only added one whole chipotle in adobo but did use two teaspoons of sauce and a little extra honey! I will add this to my regular repertoire of staple recipes to use again!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Shelly!
This is delicious, thank you for sharing it with us! I didn’t have sour cream so had to sub yogurt and it tastes great. Easy to manage spice level with adjusting chipotle to your taste.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kim!
This was really good. thank you
Y-U-M!!! I couldn’t imagine the amount of taste that was packed into this dressing, so when I tried it, it almost knocked me out! It’s so delicious. As someone who was obsessed with McDonalds SW salad (and still hurt by its absence), this is just amazing. Thank you for figuring out how to recreate such a tasty dressing. It’s probably the best salad dressing I’ve ever had!