This Spicy Chicken Fajita Salad is totally crave worthy! It’s a great weeknight meal, made in just 30 minutes flat with homemade fajita seasoning, dairy-free cilantro lime ranch, and sugar free pickled onions, so it’s Whole30, Dairy Free and Keto friendly.
Why it Works
Every Tuesday night in my house, we make a Mexican-inspired dinner. Because hashtag Taco Tuesday, right? Some of our favorites are Taco Zucchini Boats and Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers.
But tonight we made this big, fresh salad (because I have a thing for biiiiig salads!), topped with juicy chicken breasts, bell peppers, and topped with creamy cilantro lime ranch. Pair it with some mint lemonade for an extra refreshing meal!
It might seem like a big, complicated recipe with tons of prep work, but it really wasn’t. Everything came together in under 30 minutes, total.
Yup, you read that right. You can make this fabulous meal in a snap!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts
- Homemade Fajita Seasoning or your favorite store-bought blend.
- Bell Peppers, fresh or frozen
- Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
- Lettuce
- Toppings: Lime, Avocado, Cilantro, & Sugar Free Pickled Onions
Optionally, more condiments like Mango Guacamole and/or Chipotle Corn Salsa would take this chicken fajita salad to the next level!
Fajita Seasoning
Making your own seasoning blends will save you money, of course, but it will also allow you to have 100% confidence in knowing what ingredients are in your seasonings.
Homemade Fajita Seasoning Ingredients:
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
If you’d rather use a store bought Fajita Seasoning, my favorite is Oh My Spice Fajita Seasoning. It’s Whole30, Paleo and Keto friendly, made without sugar or any additives.
Cilantro Lime Ranch
This easy peasy ranch recipe is made in about 1 minute flat, with no immersion blender necessary. Nowadays sugar free mayo is so readily available that this is how I make salad dressing!
To make a quick creamy cilantro lime dressing: Take 1/2 cup compliant mayo, 1/8 cup coconut milk, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp minced cilantro, and 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning. Whisk together in a small bowl. Season to taste if needed, and you can thin it out with one to two teaspoons of coconut milk.
You can always buy your own compliant ranch or substitute any dressing you like.
Making the Recipe
- Prep the vegetables. Slice the bell peppers. Wash and cut the lettuce. Slice the limes. Make the pickled onions, if using.
- Make the Salad Dressing: Whisk all the ingredients together.
- Rub the chicken on all sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the fajita seasoning. Heat a another tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Grill the chicken on both sides until cooked through. Set the chicken aside until cooled enough to handle, then slice into strips.
- In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil, and cook the peppers over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Assemble the salads in bowls, drizzle with dressing, and toss together. Serve immediately.
That’s it! So go ahead and get started, because you’re only 30 minutes away from this having this chicken fajita salad on your table!
Related Recipes
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
- Buffalo Ranch Chicken & Cauliflower Casserole
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
- Blackened Flounder & Pineapple Salsa
- Orange Chicken Meatballs
Making this recipe? I’d love to hear about your experience making it!
Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Chicken Fajita Salad – Whole30/Keto
Ingredients
Fajita Chicken Salad
- 6-8 cups romaine lettuce about 1 large head
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts
- 4 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 bell peppers
- 1 – 1.5 Tablespoon fajita seasoning
Fajita Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
Toppings (all optional)
- 1/2 cup cilantro lime ranch follow directions below for homemade, or use any store-bought salad dressing you like
- pickled onions
- 2 avocados
- fresh cilantro
- 1-2 limes sliced
Instructions
Do the Prep Work
- Prep the vegetables. Slice the bell peppers. Wash and cut the lettuce. Slice the limes. Make the pickled onions and salad dressing (recipe below), if using.
Cook the Chicken & Peppers
- Rub the chicken on all sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the fajita seasoning. Heat a a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Grill the chicken on both sides until cooked through.
- Set the chicken aside until cooled enough to handle, then slice into strips.
- In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil, and cook the peppers over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Assemble the salads in bowls, drizzle with dressing, and toss together. Serve immediately.
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