Chicken Fajita Salad

Chicken Fajitas have a special place in my memory, since my friend group in college used to eat at Chili’s all the time. Daniel and I would always order the fajitas. There’s just something fun about the sizzling platter and setting up your own mini assembly line with an efficiency that would make Henry Ford jealous. The flavors are fresh and rich—chili- and cumin-seasoned grilled chicken with sautéed vegetables topped with salsa and your favorite Tex-Mex fixins.

My chicken fajita salad incorporates the same great flavors but it’s a little lighter. I combine the hot ingredients over a fresh bed of mixed greens and top it with cheese, avocado, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Since I’m using avocado here, I only sprinkle on a small amount of cheese, which helps keep the calories down. (*Another way you could make it a little lighter is by using nonfat greek yogurt in place of traditional sour cream.) Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 onion (red or yellow), thinly sliced
• 8 cups chopped romaine (or your favorite lettuce)
• ⅔ cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
• ½ to ¾ cup store-bought pico de gallo or salsa
• ½ cup sour cream

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Season the chicken all over with half of the spice mixture.
3. In a large skillet, heat half of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until browned on all sides and cooked throughout, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and wipe out the skillet with a wad of paper towels (be careful!).
5. Return the skillet to the stovetop and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining half of the spice mixture and 2 tablespoons water and stir well to coat the veggies in the spices. (The water should prevent the spices from burning and forming a dry/hard crust on the veggies.) Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are tender, about 3 more minutes.
7. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates or bowls. Top evenly with chicken and veggies and divide the cheese, avocado, pico de gallo (or salsa), and sour cream among the plates. Serve immediately.

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