Chicken Fajita Salad

Real estate waits for no one. I showed 8 houses this week in neighborhoods where the asking prices climb like the temperature. Every showing is a conversation about what home means. Every key I hand over is a story beginning.

Sophia is volunteering at the library with an intensity that would concern me if it were directed at anything other than learning. She talked about it at dinner for twenty minutes and I understood approximately half of it but all of the joy behind it.

I am 46 years old and I have learned that life is not a straight line from A to B. It is a moussaka — layers of different things, some planned, some accidental, all held together by heat and time and the stubborn refusal to fall apart.

I made Greek salad wraps — everything from a horiatiki rolled in warm pita with hummus. Sophia called them genius. I called them Tuesday. We ate at the kitchen table, just the two of us, and for a moment the house was not quiet or loud — it was exactly right. Full. Fed. The sound of forks on plates is the sound I love most in this world.

The olive oil in my kitchen is from a Greek import shop in Tampa that sources from Kalamata. It is expensive. It is worth it. I use it on everything — salads, fish, bread, vegetables, the edge of a pot of soup — because olive oil is not a condiment in this family, it is a philosophy. Use it generously. Use it without apology. Use it the way you use love: poured freely, never measured, always more than you think you need.

Sophia calling my Greek salad wraps “genius” is the kind of moment I want to bottle — because what she was really responding to was the ease of it, the way a handful of good ingredients can become something that feels intentional. This Chicken Fajita Salad lives in exactly that same spirit: bright peppers, well-seasoned chicken, everything layered together in a bowl with the same generous, unapologetic energy I bring to a bottle of good olive oil. After a week of showing houses and talking about what home means to other people, the meal that makes my own kitchen feel like enough is always the simple one.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons olive oil (for dressing)
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)
Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Season the chicken. In a large bowl, toss the chicken strips with 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly coated and let sit for 5 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken in a single layer and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through and edges are lightly charred. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes, then slice or leave as strips.
Sauté the peppers and onion. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes until softened with some char. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Make the lime dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Assemble the salads. Divide the chopped romaine among four bowls. Top each with even portions of cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, sautéed peppers and onions, and the cooked chicken strips.
Finish and serve. Scatter avocado and cilantro over each bowl. Drizzle with the lime dressing, then top with shredded cheese and tortilla strips if using. Serve immediately, with sour cream or Greek yogurt on the side if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken Fajita Salad — When Tuesday Dinner Is Actually Genius