Fajita Vibes: Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Salad

Name: Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 100 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed); 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped); 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 3/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (or red pepper flakes - adjust to your preference of spice); 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 boneless chicken thigh fillets (skin removed); 1/2 yellow bell pepper (deseeded and sliced); 1/2 red bell pepper (deseeded and sliced); 1/2 onion (sliced); 5 cups Romaine lettuce (or cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried); 2 avocados (sliced); 1 pinch cilantro (extra to garnish); 1 pinch sour cream (optional - to serve)

Okay, so let’s be real—who doesn’t love a salad that’s basically a fiesta in a bowl? Like, throw in some grilled chicken, chili lime goodness, and you’ve got a meal that’s both fresh and a solid “I’m trying to be healthy” move. 😄

Main dish photo — *The finished dish — looks amazing, right?*

Alright, so here’s the deal. I made this Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad last week, and I’m still dreaming about it. Picture this: juicy chicken thighs dancing in a chili lime marinade—like, can you even? And the creamy avocados? Don’t even get me started. Ugh, I could eat this every day and be perfectly fine with it!

Okay, Let’s Talk Ingredients

Now, if we were at the grocery store together, here’s how it’d go down—grab some olive oil (always extra virgin, amirite?), a bag of limes (fresh is best, trust me), and cilantro (my love language). You’ll need garlic—if you don’t have this in your house, what are you even doing? Oh, and red chili flakes because you gotta have that kick!

Then, we’ll snag some chicken thighs (the juiciest part—you gotta treat yourself), a yellow bell pepper, a red one, and an onion (I use whatever’s in the fridge). Let’s not forget a ton of Romaine lettuce (because we need greens) and two avocados. Bring those bad boys home, and we’re golden!

So Here’s Why I Make This Constantly

Okay, quick story time! So I was having a kinda rough week—you know, work stress and all that jazz. I needed comfort food without the guilt trip, you feel me? I whipped this salad up and—OMG—when I took that first bite, it was like a hug from my kitchen! The flavors just exploded—bright, zesty, and that grilled chicken? Pure magic. I swear it turned my whole mood around, and my roommate walked in, looked at it, and was like, “What is that?!” I mean, it’s just a salad, but it’s SO much more than that.

Another beautiful angle of the dish — *Just as gorgeous from this angle too!*

The One Trick That Changes Everything

Alright, listen up—this is the key: marinating the chicken for even an hour (or two if you’ve got the time) makes all the difference. The longer it sits in that chili lime goodness, the more flavor it soaks up. Seriously, it’s like a flavor bomb in every bite. 💣

Don’t Mess This Up (My Top Tips)

1. Watch the chicken: Seriously—don’t overcook it. No one wants dry chicken. Aim for golden and crispy on the outside, tender inside.
2. Grill in batches: If you crowd the pan, the chicken won’t get that nice sear. It’ll just steam instead—yuck.
3. Taste as you go: Feel free to adjust the spice! Not a fan of heat? Chill on the chili flakes. Love it? Go wild!

How to Keep Them From Disappearing (Or, How to Store Them)

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers (which is a miracle, honestly), keep everything separate. Store the chicken in an airtight container and the salad components in another. It’ll stay fresh for a couple of days—just don’t dress it until you’re ready to eat!

If You Liked This, You’ll Probably Like These Too

You know what else hits the spot? My taco-stuffed peppers (seriously, yum!) or the zesty shrimp tacos that’ll have you dancing in your kitchen. Trust me, they’re perfect for a weeknight craving!

So here’s the big question—what’s your go-to comfort food? Like, what dish just makes everything better for you? Can’t wait to hear your faves! 🥗❤️

Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad

Flavor-packed Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad with amazing ingredients and incredible taste! Perfect for any occasion.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
30 minutes

Total Time
40 minutes

Category: Dinner

Yield: 4 servings servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

100 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)

2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 teaspoon brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (or red pepper flakes – adjust to your preference of spice)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

4 boneless chicken thigh fillets (skin removed)

1/2 yellow bell pepper (deseeded and sliced)

1/2 red bell pepper (deseeded and sliced)

1/2 onion (sliced)

5 cups Romaine lettuce (or cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried)

2 avocados (sliced)

1 pinch cilantro (extra to garnish)

1 pinch sour cream (optional – to serve)

Instructions

Whisk marinade ingredients together to combine. Pour half the marinade into a shallow dish to marinade the chicken fillets for two hours if time allows. Refrigerate the reserved untouched marinade to use as a dressing.
Heat about one teaspoon of oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and grill chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through. (Grill in batches to prevent excess water being released.) Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.
Wipe pan over with paper towel; drizzle with another teaspoon of oil and fry pepper and onion strips until cooked to your liking.
Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with leaves, avocado slices, peppers, onion strips and chicken. Drizzle with remaining marinade/dressing and serve with (optional) extra cilantro leaves and sour cream.