Chicken Fajita Salad
Fresh, flavorful fajita-style salad with cilantro-lime marinated chicken and beautifully charred bell peppers and onions. The marinade doubles as a creamy salad dressing when blended with cucumber, making this an all-in-one recipe with simple ingredients and bold Tex-Mex flavors.
Servings: 4 large salads
Calories: 562kcal
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro divied (stems for marinade and leaves for salad and dressing.
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt reduce if using table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 limes divided (⅓ cup of lime juice for marinade
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 jalapeño pepper divide ½ pepper for marinade, seeds and pith removed; reserve other half for garnish
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch thick
Salad Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into ½-inch strips
- 1 green bell pepper sliced into ½-inch strips
- 1 sweet onion sliced into ½-inch strips
- ½ to 1 yellow or orange bell pepper optional, for added color
- 4 cups butter lettuce or any lettuce of choice
- 1 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1-2 Tablespoons Lime zest
- ½ cup black beans from one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup corn drained, or frozen and thawed
- ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes from one 14.5 oz can, drained 15 minutes
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
Optional Garnishes
- fresh jalapeño slices reserved half from marinade
- tortilla strips or tortilla chips
- lime wedges from remaining ½ of the lime
- avocado sliced
Salad Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup reserved marinade
- 4 ounces English cucumber about ¼ of a cucumber, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil to balance lime flavor
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves optional for flavor balance
Instructions
Marinade
- Separate cilantro stems from leaves. Add 1 cup loosely packed stems to a blender along with salt, pepper, zest from 2 limes, ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, ⅓ cup avocado oil, and half a jalapeño (seeds and pith removed). Blend until smooth.1 bunch fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 limes, ⅓ cup avocado oil, 1 jalapeño pepper
- Reserve ¼ cup marinade for dressing. Pour remaining ½ cup over thinly sliced chicken in a shallow container. Toss to coat, cover, and marinate at room temperature for exactly 30 minutes. Do not refrigerate or exceed 30 minutes.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- While chicken marinates, drain and rinse black beans. Drain corn (do not rinse). Place fire-roasted tomatoes in a strainer to drain for 15 minutes. Slice bell peppers and onion into ½-inch strips.½ cup black beans, ½ cup corn, ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes
Fajita chicken and vegetables
- Preheat Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro on Sear/Sauté HIGH, or heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Do not add any oil—the pot must be dry.1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 sweet onion, ½ to 1 yellow or orange bell pepper
- Add peppers and onions to the dry hot pot in a single layer. Let sit undisturbed until charred on bottom, 2-3 minutes. Flip and char the other side. Work in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
- Remove chicken from marinade and blot dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This is essential for achieving proper char.
- Add chicken to the same dry hot pot in a single layer. Sear 1-2 minutes per side until cooked through with char marks and internal temperature reaches 165℉/74℃. Turn off heat and let rest in pot.
Fajita Salad Dressing
- Add reserved ¼ cup marinade and 4 ounces cucumber (roughly chopped) to blender. Blend until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons avocado oil. Taste and adjust salt if needed.¼ cup reserved marinade, 4 ounces English cucumber, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, ¼ cup cilantro leaves
Assemble the Salads
- In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chopped cilantro leaves, lime zest, corn, black beans, and cheese. Toss to combine.4 cups butter lettuce, 1 cup cilantro leaves, 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, 1-2 Tablespoons Lime zest
- Divide salad among 4 bowls. Add drained tomatoes and about 2 tablespoons dressing per bowl. Toss lightly. Top with charred peppers and onions, then sliced chicken.
- Garnish with jalapeño slices, creamy avocado, tortilla strips, and lime wedges as desired. Serve with chicken and peppers slightly warm for best flavor.fresh jalapeño slices, avocado, tortilla strips or tortilla chips, lime wedges
Notes
PREP TIPS
• Slice chicken breast thin (⅛ to ¼ inch) while partially frozen for easier cutting
• Prep beans, corn, and tomatoes while the marinade is blending to maximize efficiency
• Roll limes on the counter before juicing to get more juice COOKING TIPS
• Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes—the high acid content will start to "cook" the chicken like ceviche, resulting in mealy texture
• Blot chicken completely dry before searing to achieve proper char
• Keep the pot completely dry (no oil) for authentic fajita char on vegetables and chicken
• Work in batches to avoid overcrowding, which causes steaming instead of charring
• Let vegetables and chicken sit undisturbed to develop char marks DRESSING TIPS
• The cucumber is the secret ingredient that transforms the intense marinade into a balanced dressing
• If dressing is too limey, blend in additional fresh cilantro leaves rather than more oil
• Never use marinade that touched raw chicken for the dressing—always reserve it beforehand NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on typical ingredient values and standard portion sizes. Actual nutritional content may vary significantly depending on specific brands used, ingredient substitutions, preparation methods, portion sizes, and individual cooking techniques. For precise nutritional information tailored to your specific ingredients and preparation, please consult with a registered dietitian or use laboratory analysis. This information should not be used for medical nutrition therapy or to manage medical conditions without professional guidance.
• Slice chicken breast thin (⅛ to ¼ inch) while partially frozen for easier cutting
• Prep beans, corn, and tomatoes while the marinade is blending to maximize efficiency
• Roll limes on the counter before juicing to get more juice COOKING TIPS
• Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes—the high acid content will start to "cook" the chicken like ceviche, resulting in mealy texture
• Blot chicken completely dry before searing to achieve proper char
• Keep the pot completely dry (no oil) for authentic fajita char on vegetables and chicken
• Work in batches to avoid overcrowding, which causes steaming instead of charring
• Let vegetables and chicken sit undisturbed to develop char marks DRESSING TIPS
• The cucumber is the secret ingredient that transforms the intense marinade into a balanced dressing
• If dressing is too limey, blend in additional fresh cilantro leaves rather than more oil
• Never use marinade that touched raw chicken for the dressing—always reserve it beforehand NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on typical ingredient values and standard portion sizes. Actual nutritional content may vary significantly depending on specific brands used, ingredient substitutions, preparation methods, portion sizes, and individual cooking techniques. For precise nutritional information tailored to your specific ingredients and preparation, please consult with a registered dietitian or use laboratory analysis. This information should not be used for medical nutrition therapy or to manage medical conditions without professional guidance.
Nutrition
Serving: 1large salad | Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 948mg | Potassium: 1105mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4448IU | Vitamin C: 130mg | Calcium: 405mg | Iron: 3mg