High Protein
Chicken Fajita Chopped Salad with Tortilla Chips is a Tex-Mex main dish with seasoned chicken breast, chopped romaine, black beans, corn, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, cilantro, and a creamy lime fajita dressing.
This one has that fajita-style feel, but in salad form. You still get the chicken, peppers, onion, salsa, lime, and tortilla chips, only everything is chopped up and ready to scoop. It’s fresh, filling, and doesn’t feel like a sad desk salad.
It’s also a solid 35 minute recipe, which makes it helpful for lunch, dinner, or meal prep when you want something with protein and crunch. The tortilla chips make it fun, the black beans and corn make it hearty, and the creamy dressing pulls everything together without making it heavy.
A large skillet works well for cooking the chicken and vegetables. A large mixing bowl makes it easier to toss the salad without spilling everything over the counter.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fajita Chopped Salad with Tortilla Chips
It’s Ready in 35 Minutes
This recipe works for a busy lunch or dinner because the total time is 35 minutes.
It Has Plenty of Protein
The chicken breast and black beans help make this salad filling enough for a main course.
It Has Crunch
The tortilla chips give the salad a scoopable texture, which makes it more fun than a regular chopped salad.
It Uses Familiar Ingredients
You’ll need chicken, romaine, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, cilantro, Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, lime juice, salsa, and seasonings.
It Works for Tex-Mex Night
This is a lighter way to serve fajita-style ingredients without making tacos or wraps.
Ingredient Substitutions
Chicken Breast
Use diced cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or lean ground chicken if that’s what you have.
Romaine Lettuce
Use iceberg lettuce or chopped green leaf lettuce.
Green Bell Pepper
Use red, yellow, or orange bell pepper.
Yellow Onion
Use white onion or red onion.
Black Beans
Use pinto beans or kidney beans.
Corn
Use canned corn, thawed frozen corn, or fresh cooked corn.
Reduced-Fat Cheddar Cheese
Use Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a Mexican-style shredded cheese blend.
Greek Yogurt
Use plain regular yogurt. The dressing may be a little thinner.
Light Ranch Dressing
Use any ranch dressing you already like.
Salsa
Use mild, medium, or hot salsa, depending on how much heat you want.
Tortilla Chips
Use baked tortilla chips, corn chips, or crushed tostada shells.
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Chicken Fajita Chopped Salad with Tortilla Chips
Recipes are written with one action per step for accessibility. Short lines. Fewer rereads. A calmer kitchen on mobile or desktop.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 5 cups romaine lettuce finely chopped
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
- ½ yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes seeded and chopped
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup corn drained
- ½ cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
For the Creamy Lime Fajita Dressing:
- ¼ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon light ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon salsa
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add olive oil to the skillet.
- Add the diced chicken, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Add the bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, add the Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, lime juice, salsa, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until the dressing is smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped romaine, tomatoes, black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, cilantro, and chicken fajita mixture.
- Pour the creamy lime fajita dressing over the salad.
- Using tongs, toss until the salad is evenly coated.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Let the chicken cool slightly – Warm chicken is fine, but very hot chicken can soften the lettuce too much. Chop everything small – Smaller pieces make the salad easier to scoop with tortilla chips. Drain the beans and corn well – Extra liquid can make the dressing thin and watery. Use seeded tomatoes – Removing the seeds helps keep the salad from getting soggy. Add the chips at serving time – Keep the tortilla chips on the side until ready to serve so they stay crisp. Adjust the heat – Use hot salsa or chopped jalapeños if you want more spice.Storing
Store the salad – Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the chips separately – Keep tortilla chips in a sealed bag or container at room temperature so they stay crisp. Store the dressing separately if making ahead – Keep the dressing in a small airtight container in the refrigerator. Add it right before serving.Nutrition
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