Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad
Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad Recipe – This fresh and delicious taco salad is loaded with the bold flavors of chicken fajitas, but is a slightly healthier option that is perfect for summer!
Why We Love This Summer Salad Recipe
Classic fajitas are one of our favorite quick and easy dishes. Typically they feature stovetop seared or grilled chicken or beef, sweet and vibrant bell peppers, onions, and lots of toppings snuggled into warm flour tortillas.
These amazing grilled chicken fajitas are perfect for summer! Light and lean Chicken Fajita Salad gives you all the glorious fajita flavor, without being loaded down with tortillas and sour cream. So they are delightful for hot nights, and also happen to be diet-friendly!
This easy recipe includes a simple but super delicious chicken fajita marinade that doubles as a fajita taco salad dressing.
Ingredients You Need
For the Fajita Marinade and Salad Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Fresh lime juice
- Mayonnaise
- Cholula hot sauce
- Honey
- Garlic
- Salt
For the Fajita Salad:
- Boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- Bell peppers
- Onion
- Romaine lettuce
- Avocados
- Fresh corn
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Fresh cilantro
How to Make Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad
Set out a medium bowl (or measuring pitcher), a baking dish, and a baking sheet.
Make the chicken fajita marinade: In the bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, mayonnaise, Cholula, honey, garlic, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup of the marinade over the top of the chicken. Reserve the rest to use as salad dressing.
Flip the chicken to make sure it is coated in the marinade on all sides.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium, around 350° F. Then chop and prep all the fresh produce.
Pro Tip: It’s best to grill the peppers and onions in larger pieces so they don’t fall through the grates. Then slice them for the salad after grilling
Once the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Place the bell pepper halves and onion slices on the grill as well, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, peppers, and onion slices. Place them all on a baking sheet to rest.
While the chicken is resting, pile the chopped romaine on a large serving platter, or on individual dinner plates.
Slice the chicken pieces and bell pepper halves into thin strips. Cut the onion rounds in half.
Get the Complete (Printable) Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Pile the grilled chicken slices, bell pepper strips, and onions on top of the romaine.
Arrange sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes around the hot grilled items.
Then sprinkle fresh corn and cilantro over the top. Drizzle with the remaining chicken fajita marinade dressing and serve.
Optional Salad Add-Ons
Fajita taco salads are perfect to load with your favorite fresh goodies! Try classic toppings like:
- Guacamole
- Red or green salsa
- Sour cream or Magic Cashew Cream for a dairy-free option
- Shredded cheddar or queso fresco
- Corn nuts
Frequently Asked Questions
What dishes go well with chicken fajita salad?
These salads are brimming with everything needed for a hearty one-bowl meal! Or serve as a lighter main dish with Grilled Vegetable Kabobs with Fajita Butter, Refried Beans or Mexican Pinto Beans, or Fluffy Yellow Rice.
Can this fajita salad recipe be made with other proteins?
Certainly! The chicken fajita marinade is great to use with flank steak or shrimp that is peeled and deveined.
Make this a vegan fajita salad recipe with large portobello mushrooms or extra firm tofu!
Can you make it ahead?
Grill the chicken and vegetables a day or so ahead to make prep a breeze when ready to serve.
These are great mason jar salads! Place the dressing, chicken, and grilled veggies at the bottom of the jars. Then pile in corn and tomatoes (and any other hearty goodies), and top with the fresh greens. When ready to enjoy, dump the salad into a bowl and finish with the avocado.
How long does salad with grilled chicken last in the refrigerator?
The assembled salads are best when enjoyed freshly prepared. The chicken and grilled veggies will keep well stored in a container together for up to 3 days.
Looking for More Summer Salad Recipes?
- Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad
- Avocado Chicken with Corn
- Summer Cobb Salad
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad
- Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Sauce
Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad
Ingredients
For the Fajita Marinade and Dressing –
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Cholula hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
For the Fajita Salad –
- 2 pounds boneless chicken either breasts or thighs
- 3 bell peppers halved and seeded (any color)
- 1 onion peeled and sliced into rounds
- 8-10 ounces romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 avocadoes peeled and sliced
- 1 cup fresh corn
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Set out a medium bowl (or measuring pitcher), a baking dish, and a baking sheet.
- In the bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, mayonnaise, Cholula, honey, garlic and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup of the marinade over the top of the chicken. Reserve the rest to use as the salad dressing. Flip the chicken to make sure it is coated in the marinade on all sides.
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium, around 350° F. Then chop and prep all the fresh produce.
- Once the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Place the bell pepper halves and onion slices on the grill as well, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, peppers, and onion slices. Place them all on a baking sheet to rest.
- While the chicken is resting, pile the chopped romaine on a large serving platter, or on individual dinner plates.
- Slice the chicken pieces and bell pepper halves into thin strips. Cut the onion rounds in half.
- Pile the grilled chicken slices, bell pepper strips, and onions on top of the romaine. Arrange sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes around the hot grilled items. Then sprinkle fresh corn and cilantro over the top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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My family loves chicken so we had to try out this new recipe for it and we loved it. I can see it becoming one of our favorites.
This was so great for feeding a small group of people. Had good flavor!
Yum – Colorful healthy and so delicious! I love having this on warm summer evenings!