Home > Recipes > Fajita Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Fajita Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Name: Fajita Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: â cup fresh lime juice; Â½ cup olive oil; Â¼ cup cilantro, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 1 Â¼ tablespoons red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 Â¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1 Â½-inch strips; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 yellow bell peppers, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch strips; 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch strips; 1 medium onion, sliced into 1-inch strips; 6 cups spring greens; 2 avocados, sliced; Â½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped; Sour cream, for serving (optional); Corn chips, for serving (optional)

Tired of taco salad? Try Fajita Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing instead. Stir-fry tender and juicy boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a cilantro-lime marinade that doubles as a dressing. Toss it over spring greens paired with sliced sweet peppers, onions, avocado and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese, then serve it alongside corn chips.

Jessi Heggan

Print Recipe

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Recipe Created By: Jodie Shield
Featured In: Illinois Farm Bureau Partners

Ingredients

Dressing/Marinade:

⅔ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 ¼ tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Salad:

1 ¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1 ½-inch strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 yellow bell peppers, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch strips
2 red bell peppers, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch strips
1 medium onion, sliced into 1-inch strips
6 cups spring greens
2 avocados, sliced
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Sour cream, for serving (optional)
Corn chips, for serving (optional)

Instructions

In a large measuring cup, whisk together all dressing/marinade ingredients until well combined. Pour half of the mixture into a large resealable bag. Refrigerate the remaining mixture to use as a dressing.
Add the chicken to the bag. Seal bag and allow chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Pour the chicken strips and marinade into the skillet and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and drain the chicken to discard any liquid. Set chicken aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet and stir-fry the bell peppers and onions for about 5 minutes, or until slightly charred and cooked through.
To assemble the salad, divide spring greens between 4 large serving plates (about 1 ½ cups greens per plate). Top each salad with chicken, bell pepper and onion mixture, avocado slices, and cheese. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon cilantro over each salad and drizzle with desired amount of dressing.
Top salads with a dollop of sour cream and serve with corn chips, if desired. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.