5 from 1 vote

Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad

In this version, pasta salad meets chicken fajitas, without the tortilla wrap. You have the spicy Mexican flavours combined with marinated chicken, tender-crisp peppers and tossed in a lime-cilantro vinaigrette. With each delicious mouthful, enjoy the flavour explosion. It tastes even better the next day!

Chicken fajita pasta salad in a bowl.


Move over slow cooker, it’s time for Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad! My love affair with this versatile side dish continues again this year. In the winter, I tend to eat more comfort food recipes and use my slow cooker multiple times a week. When the warmer weather hits, it gets stored in the cupboard and I start making lighter meals.

One of my favourite summer recipes is pasta salad. What’s great about pasta salad is that there are so many variations. It’s a dish that never gets boring and is fun to experiment with.

Chicken fajita pasta salad in a white bowl.

Is This Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad Meant to be Served Warm or Cold

You can do either. I have not been able to resist the temptation to eat this salad fresh off the stove, and it was incredible. Or if you want to make it and serve for dinner, it tastes great cold. This is seriously a fantastic chicken pasta salad that is versatile.

What Dressing Do You Use for Fajita Pasta Salad

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    I made my own dressing. It is super simple and just a few ingredients are all you need. Lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, and seasoning. Whisk it up, and then pour over the pasta and fajita mix. I know it sounds simple but the flavors work incredibly well together and offer the right amount of flavor to the dish.

    Searching for more Pasta Salad Recipes

    Whip up a batch for your next barbecue, picnic or just because. I also have a few other pasta salad recipes to check out including Ramen Noodle Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, Tortellini Salad, Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad, Shrimp Pasta Salad, Roasted Pepper Pasta SaladGreek Pasta SaladChili Pasta Salad, and Easy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad. Also, check out my Pasta Salad board on Pinterest.

    Chicken fajita pasta salad in a white bowl.

    What Type of Chicken Do You Use for this Fajita Salad

    You want to use a boneless chicken for this recipe. Since you are going to dice it up and spread out into the salad you don’t want to have bones in your chicken. If you use skin-on chicken you can choose to leave it on, or feel free to remove it. I tend to use tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breasts.

    Can I Use Pre-Cooked Chicken for this Pasta Salad

    Yes. If you want you can skip the step of cooking your chicken, and toss it in with the peppers to help warm it up and blend the flavor a bit. I have used this recipe with leftover rotisserie chicken before and it tasted incredible. Just don’t reach for a chicken that has a lot of seasoning already on it, or it will adjust the flavor.

    Can I Use Homemade Taco Seasoning for this Fajita Pasta Salad

    Of course. If you have a homemade taco seasoning that you enjoy, use that instead of a packet style you get in the store. Just any regular taco seasoning works. You can do lower sodium, spicey version or even a mild version.

    What Type of Pasta is Best for Fajita Salad 

    Truly you can use any pasta you want. I reached for a smaller pasta, so each bite you can pair with all the ingredients in the dish. But feel free to reach for elbow, shells, bowtie, or any other type of pasta. 

    Chicken fajita pasta salad in a white bowl.

    Can I Make Chicken Fajita Salad in Advance 

    Yes. You can make this a day in advance if you would like. Just get it all ready and transfer into a bowl and tuck in the fridge. Then when you are ready to serve the salad cold and enjoy. If you feel some of the pasta is a little dry, toss before serving. 

    How to Make Chicken Fajita Salad 

    Start by warming up a skillet on the stove, and cooking your chicken sprinkled with a little taco seasoning until fully cooked. Then add in your peppers along with one more teaspoon of taco seasoning. Then stir and let cook for around five minutes. You want to cook the peppers until they are slightly softened. 

    Then grab another pot and cook your pasta according to the package. Then drain and place the pasta in a large bowl. Once the chicken and peppers are cooked, add it to the bowl of cooked pasta. Stir and set aside. In a small bowl, you will now make your dressing and pour over the mixture. Mix well and then serve. 

    A spoon holding chicken fajita pasta salad.

    How Long Will Fajita Salad Store in Fridge 

    You can keep this salad in the fridge for 3-4 days. After that, I recommend using your best judgment in terms of if the salad is bad. This is a fantastic pasta salad for meal prepping for the week for quick lunches or even dinner. 

    How often do you eat pasta salad?

    You’ll also like Pico de Gallo, Chicken Fajita Soup, Cheeseburger Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad and Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad.

    5 from 1 vote

    Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad

    Created by Stacie Vaughan
    Servings 6
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 21 minutes
    Total Time 31 minutes
    Turn your favorite Mexican main dish into a great party dish! This easy pasta salad recipe is a medley of spicy Mexican flavours combined with marinated chicken, tender crisp peppers and tossed in a lime cilantro vinaigrette.

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 chicken breasts chopped into ½ inch cubes
    • 1 green pepper sliced
    • 1 red pepper sliced
    • 1 yellow pepper sliced
    • 1 orange pepper sliced
    • 1 package taco seasoning
    • 1 yellow onion sliced
    • 1 package rotini pasta 16oz/410g package, uncooked
    • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
    • ¼ cup lime juice
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning over chicken and continue cooking an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Add in the peppers and 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning and stir to combine with the chicken. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and peppers are slightly softened.
    • Meanwhile on a separate burner, cook pasta according to its directions. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
    • Once your pepper and chicken mixture is cooked, add it to the bowl with the cooked pasta. Stir to combine.
    • To make the dressing, whisk together lime juice, ½ cup olive oil, remaining taco seasoning in the package and cilantro. Pour over the pasta, peppers and chicken and mix together.
    • It tastes good warm if you can’t wait to dig in. Otherwise, cover and place in the fridge and let it chill until you are ready to serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 101mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Course Salads
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad

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    23 Comments

    1. EMILY AYERS says:

      1/4 ?? lime juice. How much lime juice do I use?

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