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Ingredients
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Salad Base
Chicken Fajita
Dressing
Garnish / Optional
Method
Prep
Rinse and dry romaine and baby spinach. Chop or tear romaine into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Add baby spinach.
Halve cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice red onion and both bell peppers (reserve 1 red and 1 yellow/green for fajita cooking as noted). Pit and dice avocado just before serving and keep reserved with a squeeze of lime to prevent browning.
Rinse and drain black beans if using canned. If using frozen corn, thaw; if canned, drain.
Make the Chicken Fajita
Slice and Marinate
Slice the chicken breasts thinly across the grain into 1/4-inch strips. In a bowl combine 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs lime juice, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss chicken strips in the marinade and let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature (or up to 1 hour in the refrigerator).
Cook Peppers
Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced bell peppers (from the Chicken Fajita section) and sauté 3–4 minutes until slightly softened and charred at the edges. Transfer peppers to a plate.
Cook Chicken
In the same skillet, add a touch more oil if needed and increase heat to medium-high. Add marinated chicken in a single layer and cook without moving 2–3 minutes to get a sear, then stir and continue cooking another 2–3 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C) and nicely browned. Return peppers to the pan and toss to combine for 30–60 seconds. Remove from heat and let rest 2 minutes.
Make the Dressing
Whisk together Greek yogurt (or sour cream), mayonnaise, 2 tbs lime juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp chili or chipotle powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as needed (add up to 1 tbs more lime juice or 1/2 tsp more honey). If too thick, thin with 1–2 tsp water or olive oil.
Assemble Salad
To the bowl with greens, add cherry tomatoes, 3 tbs corn, 1 cup black beans, 1/4 cup sliced red onion, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Gently fold to combine.
Top the salad with the cooked chicken fajita mixture (chicken + peppers) while warm or at room temperature.
Add diced avocado and sprinkle crumbled cotija or feta cheese and tortilla strips or crushed chips over the top.
Drizzle dressing over the salad (start with half, toss gently, add more to taste) or serve dressing on the side.
Garnish with lime wedges and additional cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.