Chicken Fajita Salad with Chimmichurri Dressing

This smokey chicken fajita salad with fresh veggies and tangy chimichurri dressing is a Tex-Mex fiesta in a bowl. Topped with creamy avocado and sweet tomatoes, it’s the perfect 30-minute dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fajita Salad

Eating all your veggies won’t be a problem anymore after you try this chicken fajita salad.

• Refreshing. It’s only fresh veggies and a light, herby cilantro-chimichurri dressing.
• Great for leftovers. Use leftover rotisserie chicken or veggies to make this salad and reduce food waste.
• Easy. You only need to sear the chicken, slice it, and blend the dressing.
• Hearty. Lettuce, sweet bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, and creamy avocado create a hearty veggie base that’ll actually fill you up.

What You’ll Need

Spicy red onions add an addictive, vibrant crunch that pairs perfectly with the spice mix’s smokiness. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

For the Chicken Fajitas

• Chicken breast – Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs.
• Smoked paprika – Use your favorite kind.
• Garlic powder – Onion powder is a great swap.
• Ground cumin – You can also swap all the spices for 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning.
• Dried cilantro – It must be dried or it’ll burn in the skillet and turn bitter.
• Salt – Kosher salt is best.
• Chipotle chili powder – Cayenne pepper works too.
• Black pepper – Pre-ground or freshly-cracked is fine.
• Grape seed oil – Olive, coconut, or avocado oil are great too.
• Lettuce – Iceberg or Romaine lettuce work.
• Yellow pepper – Go for large or baby bell peppers.
• Red pepper – Any color of bell pepper is okay.
• Pickled red onion – Regular sliced red onions can be used instead.
• Avocado – Make sure it’s ripe.
• Cherry tomatoes – Diced heirloom tomatoes work too if you remove the seeds.

For the Chimichurri Dressing

• Garlic – It needs to be fresh garlic. Garlic powder won’t work here.
• Fresh cilantro – Feel free to use fresh parsley.
• Red wine vinegar – Avoid any other kind of vinegar.
• Lime juice – Lemon juice is a great swap.
• Olive oil – This is also referred to as “EVOO.”
• Smoked paprika – Sweet paprika works too.
• Red pepper flakes – You can make your own by processing dried red chilis until coarse.
• Salt and pepper – Himalayan salt is okay for this.

How to Make Chicken Fajita Salad

The chimichurri dressing adds herby brightness to this bowl of fresh veggies with seasoned chicken. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

• Make the spice mix. Combine the paprika, garlic powder, cumin, dried cilantro, salt, chipotle chili powder, and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Season the chicken. Generously sprinkle the chicken with the spice mix on all sides.
• Cook the peppers. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the peppers and cook them for 4-5 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove them from the heat and set aside.

• Sear the chicken. Add another tablespoon oil to the skillet. Add the chicken. Sear it for 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Remove it from the heat. Set it aside and slice it once cooled.
• Make the dressing. Add the dressing ingredients (except olive oil) to the blender. Process everything until the cilantro is finely chopped. Add the olive oil at the end and pulse until well combined.
• Assemble and serve. Add lettuce to your serving bowl. Top it with sliced chicken, sauteed peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, and sliced avocados. Toss with chimichurri dressing or serve it on the side.

Tips & Variations

Use tofu instead of chicken to make this a vegan weeknight recipe.

• Swap the greens. You don’t have to use lettuce. Feel free to swap it for your favorite salad greens like spinach, kale, or a mix of them.
• Make it a pasta salad. Boil 1-2 cups of short pasta like fusilli or penne, strain it, and toss it into the salad.
• Search the fridge. Mix in leftover baby carrots, celery sticks (chopped), grilled corn, roasted cauliflower etc to reduce food waste and add more texture.
• Use steak. Add my leftover Grilled Ribeye Steak or Salsa Verde Carne Asada instead of chicken for an easy variation.
• Swap the protein. Shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled turkey, and extra-firm tofu are great ways to keep this salad hearty.
• Prep ahead. Chop all of the veggies and prepare the dressing in advance so you can toss the salad as soon as it’s time for dinner.
• Leave it to the side. Only toss your serving-size of salad with dressing right before serving. Not adding all of it in will keep the veggies crunchy in the fridge for longer.

Serving Suggestions

This juicy chicken fajita salad is a hearty dinner on its own, but you can serve it with other simple sides or a bowl of chili. Try it with some Corn on the Cob or Grilled Corn with Roasted Jalapeno Sauce. For soup, try my Creamy Potato Soup. If you’re craving chili, then my Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is a must.

How to Store Leftovers

Don’t microwave the protein for a chilled Tex-Mex chicken salad.

• Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you store the lettuce separately, it’ll keep for up to 5 days.
• To reheat it: Remove the chicken from the salad (or container) and microwave it for 30 seconds or until warm. Toss it back in the salad and enjoy.

More Easy Salad Recipes

• Italian Grinder Salad
• Kale Salad with Cranberries
• Easy Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing
• Epic Mason Jar Cobb Salad with Ranch
• Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

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