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Ingredients
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Salad Base
Fajita-Style Veggies (warm)
Poblano Avocado Ranch
Optional Protein
Method
Salad Base
Rinse and dry all greens thoroughly. Chop romaine and iceberg into bite-size pieces and combine with baby spinach in a large bowl.
Core, seed and thinly slice the red and yellow bell peppers. Thinly slice the red onion. Halve cherry tomatoes. Add all to the bowl with greens.
Drain and rinse black beans; add them and the corn to the salad bowl. Crumble cotija cheese and reserve for topping. Chop cilantro and set aside.
When ready to serve, toss salad base lightly with a small amount of poblano avocado ranch (start with half the dressing) and top with tortilla strips and crumbled cheese.
Fajita-Style Veggies (warm)
Roast the poblano: preheat broiler or a gas burner. Place the whole poblano directly under the broiler or over the flame, turning occasionally, until the skin is blistered and charred on all sides (about 6–10 minutes). Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a lid for 10 minutes to steam; this makes skin easy to peel. Peel, seed and reserve one roasted poblano for the dressing; slice the other into 1/2" strips for the salad.
If using jalapeño, roast with poblano or remove seeds and finely slice for milder heat; set aside.
Heat 1.5 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced poblano strips and sliced jalapeño (if using). Sprinkle with ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Sauté until vegetables are softened and slightly charred at edges, about 5–7 minutes.
Squeeze 1/2 lime over the fajita vegetables, toss to combine, then remove from heat and let cool slightly before adding to the salad so they remain warm but not wilting the greens.
Poblano Avocado Ranch
Prepare roasted poblano
Use one roasted poblano from the previous step. Remove stem, peel skin, split open and discard seeds. Roughly chop the flesh and measure approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup.
Scoop avocado flesh into a blender or food processor. Add the chopped roasted poblano, plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, buttermilk, cilantro, chives, minced garlic, lime juice, honey, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Blend until smooth. Check consistency; if too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon cold water (or more buttermilk) to reach a pourable dressing consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning: more lime juice for brightness, a pinch more salt if needed, or a touch more honey if you want slight sweetness. Chill briefly (10–15 minutes) if time allows to let flavors marry.
Optional Protein
If adding protein, pat chicken or shrimp dry. Toss with 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs taco seasoning until evenly coated.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. For chicken strips: cook 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). For shrimp: cook 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and pink. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes, then slice chicken into bite-size pieces if needed.
Add warm protein to the fajita-style veggies or arrange on top of the salad when assembling.
Assembly & Serve
Arrange greens and salad base in a large shallow bowl or divide among 4 plates (serves 4).
Top with warm fajita-style poblano strips, corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, crumbled cotija, chopped cilantro and tortilla strips.
Drizzle Poblano Avocado Ranch over the salad (about 2–3 tbs per serving), or serve additional dressing on the side. Serve immediately so tortilla strips remain crisp.
Garnish with extra lime wedges for squeezing and additional chopped cilantro if desired.