Fajita-seasoned chicken and vegetables make up this delicious, low carb Air Fryer Chicken Fajita Salad. Crispy lettuce is topped with the tender, air-fried chicken, air fried veggies, and topped with avocado and sour cream.
Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Fajita Salad
Are you craving chicken fajitas but not the work – or the calories – that comes with making them? If so, I’ve got your solution!
This Air Fryer Chicken Fajita Salad is packed with protein, a little heat, and a ton of flavor from the chicken marinade. The chicken comes out so tender and juicy, and the vegetables are roasted just slightly giving them great flavor but still adding texture.
Pack some creamy avocado into each bite, and your tastebuds will be in heaven! This chicken salad recipe doubles as a healthy lunch option and a light, nutritious dinner. Bonus: It’s also very low in carbs!
What You’ll Need
Chicken fajita salad is everything you put in your chicken fajitas, minus the tortillas. Here’s a list of all the ingredients you’ll need:
- For the Chicken Marinade: You’ll need olive oil, lime juice, fresh garlic (minced), smoked paprika, cumin, and salt.
- Chicken: Chicken breast and chicken thighs will both work well in this recipe. Whichever one you decide to use, make sure it is boneless, skinless, and in whole pieces.
- Peppers: I like to use 1 yellow bell pepper and 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips. I also like to incorporate 1-2 jalapeños, deseeded and sliced. (The jalapeño is optional, though.)
- Onion: Cut into thin slices.
- Lettuce: Chopped Romaine lettuce is my personal go-to, but you can use green leaf lettuce too.
- Avocados: Sliced – make sure they are ripe by gently squeezing them. If they have a little give, they’re ready to be eaten. You can also use guacamole!
- Garnish: Cilantro, chopped.
- Optional Toppings: Sour cream, 1 lime (sliced into wedges to squeeze on top), and Chili flakes (for seasoning).
How to Make this Chicken Fajita Salad
Another element of this meal that I love is that it only takes about 30 minutes to make! And, if you cook the chicken and vegetables ahead of time, it’s one of the easiest dinners/lunches ever to put together.
Marinate the chicken breasts
Mix Ingredients Together: In a small bowl, prepare the marinade by combining all the marinade ingredients together. Mix well.
Marinate the Chicken: Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade and let rest for 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
Air Fry the Chicken
Put the Chicken in the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 360°F if your air fryer requires preheating. Place the chicken pieces into the air fryer, being careful not to crowd.
Set the Timer for 10 Minutes: Then flip the chicken pieces. Place the peppers in groups between the chicken pieces. Place the onions in the air fryer with the chicken.
Cook the Chicken a Little Longer: Cook for an additional 5-12 minutes depending on the chicken. Check the temperature of chicken with the meat thermometer from time to time. Your chicken is done once it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Don’t overcook the chicken or it will be dry.
Assemble your Chicken Fajita salad
Arrange the Vegetables: In a large salad bowl, add the romaine lettuce and cilantro. Remove the vegetables and place on top of the lettuce. Add the avocados to the salad.
Slice the Chicken: Remove the chicken and let rest for 10 minutes so it will stay moist. After 10 minutes, slice chicken into long strips. Place on the salad.
Top the Salad: Add the sour cream to the middle and sprinkle salad with chili flakes if you like it spicy. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad and serve immediately.
Tips for Success
I know putting together a salad is a pretty simple task, but here are some quick air fryer/assembly tips to help you get the best results:
- How to Tell if the Chicken is Cooked Through: It is best to use a meat thermometer to check the chicken, as different thicknesses of the chicken will cook differently. You want your chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165°F. For nice fat chicken breasts it takes about 25 minutes total in the air fryer. Thinner pieces take about 17 to 20 minutes.
- Let Your Chicken Rest: Allowing the cooked chicken to rest before slicing will give it time to cool, but more importantly allows the juice to reabsorb into the meat. This ensures the chicken remains moist and tender!
- Add Lime Juice After the Chicken is Done: The lime juice in the marinade will provide good flavor but, for the tangiest results, squeeze some onto the salad after the chicken is done cooking as well.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Air Fryer: If the chicken pieces are stacked right on top of each other they won’t cook as evenly, or get that nice roasted char. I used a large basket style air fryer and had plenty of room for 3 breasts (1 pound of chicken).
- Chicken Substitute: If you’re a fan of steak fajitas, you could definitely swap out the chicken for beef! We do this often to switch it up!
Topping Ideas + Serving Suggestions
The possibilities are endless when it comes to toppings for this salad. Here are a couple of my favorites:
- Sour Cream: Pico de gallo and salsa are also always tasty on this salad!
- Extra Veggies: corn, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and/or avocados.
- Cheese: This is a great salad to use crumbled Mexican Cotija cheese. You can also use your favorite Mexican blend shredded cheese.
- Rice: If you want to make a fajita bowl instead of a salad, swap the lettuce out for white or brown rice!
How to Store Leftovers
If you are full making this salad, it’s best to only make what you will eat. Once topped with all the hot chickens, vegetables and toppings, this salad will not help.
However, if you need to store this salad, just don’t mix everything together. Keep the lettuce base, chicken, vegetables, and any toppings in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer or microwave and toss together your salad in just a couple of minutes!
Meal Prep Salad
I prep this salad for week day lunches very often and have figured out the perfect method! Follow these simple directions for how to easily meal prep this chicken fajita salad:
Step 1: Air fry the chicken and vegetables according to the recipe. Let cool and then store in four individual containers.
Step 2: Prep your lettuce and store it in 4 individual containers. Do the same with your toppings: salsa, lime wedges, guacamole/avocado, sour cream, etc. If I am not going to be taking this salad on the go, I usually use the prepared individual packs of guacamole to top my salad so it doesn’t brown and stays fresh.
Step 3: When ready to serve, reheat the chicken and vegetables in air fryer or in the microwave. Serve chicken on top of lettuce with toppings of choice!
I have been making this easy Air Fryer Chicken Fajita Salad for lunch for months now. I meal prep it on Sunday afternoon and have it throughout the week for lunch (follow directions above for meal prep!). It’s filling, but still healthy, and absolutely packed with flavor!
More Low Carb Recipe Ideas
Air Fryer Chicken Fajita Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Salad:
- 1 pound chicken breast or thighs, boneless, skinless, whole pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1-2 jalapeños, deseeded and sliced, optional
- ½ white onion, cut into thin wedges
- 5 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1-2 avocados, sliced
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup sour cream, optional
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges or slices
- Chili flakes, for seasoning, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, prepare the marinade by combining all the marinade ingredients together. Mix well.
- Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade and let rest for 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F if your air fryer requires preheating. Place the chicken pieces into the air fryer, being careful not to crowd.
- Place them into the air fryer and set at 360°F. It is best to use a meat thermometer as different thicknesses of the chicken will cook differently. For nice fat chicken breasts it takes about 25 minutes total in the air fryer. Thinner, pieces about 17 to 20 minutes.
- Set the timer for 10 minutes, flip the chicken pieces. Place the peppers in groups between the chicken pieces. Place the onions in the air fryer with the chicken.
- Cook additional 5-12 minutes depending on the chicken. Check the temperature of chicken with the meat thermometer from time to time, your chicken is done once it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Don’t overcook the chicken or it will be dry.
- In a large salad bowl, add the romaine lettuce and cilantro.
- Remove the vegetables and place on top of the lettuce. Add the avocados to the salad.
- Remove the chicken and let rest for 10 minutes so it will stay moist. After 10 minutes, slice chicken into long strips. Place on the salad.
- Add the sour cream to the middle and sprinkle salad with chili flakes if you like it spicy. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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