Description
This fajita salad recipe is one of our our go-to dinner ideas, bursting with charred vegetables and covered in a creamy salsa ranch dressing! It’s delicious with either chicken or beans as the protein. We eat it often and it’s easily gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan—plus it works great for serving a crowd!
Ingredients
Scale
For the veggies
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and green)
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 medium white onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon each chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
For the chicken (or substitute 15-once can pinto beans)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (1 to 1 ½ pounds, organic if possible)
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon each cumin and chili powder
- 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (see instructions)
For the fajita salad
- 1 avocado, pit removed
- 1 handful tomatoes
- 2 romaine hearts (6 cups chopped, or a mix of romaine and iceberg lettuce)
- ½ cup jarred sliced pickled jalapenos
- Cilantro
Salsa Ranch Dressing (vegan options in Notes)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup red salsa
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to high heat (450 to 550°F). (If you don’t have a grill, you can make Fajita Veggies or Shrimp Fajitas in a skillet, or Sheet Pan Fajitas in the oven.)
- Prep the chicken (or skip to Step 3 for plant-based): Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. If not already in cutlets, slice the chicken in half horizontally (see these steps for how to butterfly chicken). Add the chicken to a container and add the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly coated. Cover and marinate until ready to grill.
- Or, prep the beans: Drain and rinse the beans, and place them on a square of aluminum foil. Mix the beans with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the same spices as the chicken, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Fold up the sides of the foil to form a square packet.
- Prep the fajita veggies: Thinly slice the bell peppers and onions. Smash the garlic cloves. Place them in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Spread on a large piece of foil and seal the foil tight.
- Grill the veggies: Place the foil pack with the vegetables on the grill and cook for 15 minutes, then carefully use tongs to open the pack. Continue to grill until veggies are tender and lightly charred, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Make the dressing & prep salad ingredients: Meanwhile, make the salsa ranch dressing by mixing all ingredients together in a medium bowl (make ahead if desired; stores up to 1 week refrigerated). Prepare the lettuce and tomatoes. Rub avocado halves with olive oil and add a pinch of salt.
- When the vegetables are almost finished grilling, grill the chicken or beans: Grill the chicken breasts until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until no longer pink in the center and the internal temperature is 165°F, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a platter and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing for maximum juiciness. Alternatively, place the bean packet on the grill and grill for 5 minutes.
- Grill the avocados (optional): Grill the avocados cut side down for 4 minutes, until grill lines appear and they are bright green.
- Serve: Place the greens on a plate, then top with the vegetables, grilled chicken or beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro. Drizzle with the desired amount of dressing and serve. If making in advance, refrigerate the components separately; bring the dressing to room temperature before serving. Leftover chicken, veggies, and beans store up to 3 days, refrigerated.
Notes
This fajita salad concept works well with other methods for cooking the vegetables and protein! Try our Fajita Veggies (in a skillet) plus Pan Seared Chicken Breast, Vegetarian Fajitas, Shrimp Fajitas, or Sheet Pan Fajitas.
For vegan, substitute Cilantro Sauce, Chipotle Sauce, or Cashew Cream.
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Grilled
- Diet: Gluten Free
