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30 Minutes or Less

Chicken Fajita Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

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chicken fajita salad in a bowl with cilantro lime dressing on top and on the side.

I’m here to tell you that salads CAN be delicious, and this chicken fajita salad proves that! It’s fresh, loaded (…& I mean LOADED) with flavor, and high in protein. It’s similar to my reader-favorite Mediterranean grilled chicken salad, but with a Mexican-inspired marinade instead. And I actually stole the cilantro-lime dressing recipe from my steak salad, but shhh don’t tell anyone! I swear it’s just as incredible in this fajita salad too.

ALSO, you guys know I’m obsessed with meal prep, so I made sure this salad could also be easily meal prepped! To do that, I assemble and divide the salads between four food storage containers. Then, I make the cilantro-lime dressing and store it in a separate jar. When I’m ready to eat, I simply remove one of my meal prepped fajita salads from the fringe, toss it in some dressing, then enjoy! So easy and SO. DAMN. DELICIOUS.

close up image of chicken fajita salad in a bowl.

What You’ll Need to Make Chicken Fajita Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Chicken Marinade: The marinade infuses the chicken with bold flavors, so don’t rush this step; allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to maximize taste.

Chicken Cutlets: Opt for boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets for quicker cooking, or butterfly regular chicken breasts to ensure even thickness and faster grilling!

Bell Peppers: For added smokiness, grill the bell peppers alongside the chicken or use a cast-iron skillet for a charred flavor.

Pumpkin Seeds: Roasted pumpkin seeds provide a delightful crunch and keep this salad recipe gluten-free. However, feel free to swap them out for toasted almonds or crispy tortilla strips if you’d like.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing: Customize the dressing’s sweetness by adjusting the honey or maple syrup according to your taste preference. You can also add all dressing ingredients to a blender (no need to chop the cilantro or garlic if you do) then blend until smooth!

chicken fajita salad with cilantro lime dressing in a bowl.

Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t overcrowd the skillet when cooking the chicken to ensure even browning and avoid steaming.
  • For extra flavor, grill the chicken instead of pan-searing it! I love doing this in the summertime – easier cleanup, and super delicious.
  • Make extra dressing—it’s versatile and adds incredible flavor to other salads or grilled veggies! Or, skip the dressing altogether and use your favorite store-bought dressing for an even easier meal.
  • Feel free to customize this salad based on what you love! Not a fan of chicken? Marinate and cook steak instead. Or if you want to add a little cheese, go right ahead!
close up image of chicken in a chicken fajita salad.
5 from 1 vote

Chicken Fajita Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Elevate your salad game with this fresh and flavorful chicken fajita salad! Marinated chicken, sauteed peppers and onions, crisp romaine lettuce, and a quick homemade cilantro-lime dressing. This salad is bursting with delicious flavor!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the marinade:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or regular paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the salad:

  • 4 boneless and skinless chicken breast cutlets, or 2 chicken breasts sliced horizontally to create 4 chicken cutlets
  • 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, cored and sliced
  • 5 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 avocados, clised
  • 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

For the cilantro-lime dressing:

  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

  • Whisk marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, then add in the chicken breasts. Coat the chicken in the marinade, then cover and let it sit while you prep the rest of your salad.
    chicken-fajita-salad-step-1
  • Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about a teaspoon of oil to the skillet, then add in the sliced onion and peppers. Cook the peppers and onions for about 3-5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Remove the peppers and onions from the skillet and set aside.
    chicken-fajita-salad-step-2
  • Return your skillet to medium-high heat, then add the chicken cutlets to the skillet. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes per side, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165° Fahrenheit. Remove chicken from the skillet and let it rest on a cutting board for a few minutes before slicing.
  • Now, make the cilantro-lime dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisking together to combine.
  • Assemble the salad by placing the chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cooked peppers and onions, cooked then sliced chicken, avocado, and pumpkin seeds to a large bowl. Drizzle the cilantro-lime dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately or, meal prep this salad ahead of time by storing the dressing separately. Then, right before serving, pour dressing over the salad and enjoy!

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30 Minutes or Less

Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes with Chive-Onion Dip

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close-up image of mashed potato cakes on a plate.

Turn those leftover mashed potatoes into crispy, pan-fried cakes! A super simple recipe for crispy on the outside, soft of the inside mashed potato cakes. These are hands-down the best way to give those leftovers a second life!

mashed potato cakes on a plate with chive-onion dip on the side and chives on top.

What You’ll Need to Make Mashed Potato Cakes

Cold Mashed Potatoes – No need to reheat those leftover mashed potatoes! Simply add them to a bowl, cold, with the rest of the ingredients. Any kind of mashed potatoes works here, so use whatever you have in your fridge.

Flour – All purpose flour helps these mashed potato cakes hold their shape. I used gluten-free all purpose flour to make my cakes gluten-free, but either works!

Eggs – Two large eggs work to hold this recipe together. They’re super important, so don’t leave ’em out!

Sour Cream – Perfectly tangy and creamy, sour cream is the base of our chive-onion dip! Super cheap and easy to find, I almost always have a tub of sour cream on-hand. However, if you’d like, you can swap out the sour cream for plain unsweetened greek yogurt – just as tangy and delicious!

mashed potato cakes being dipped into chive-onion dip.

Tips and Tricks

  • Add a cup of your favorite shredded cheese for cheesy mashed potato cakes! Cheese is always a fun addition, and tastes delicious.
  • Cook these in the air fryer instead! To do this, lightly grease an air fryer tray or basket, then cook at 400° Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, pausing to flip the cakes halfway through.
  • Sprinkle in any additional seasonings you’d like! Doctor up your leftover mashed potatoes with your favorite herbs and/or spices. A pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, or even fresh chopped chives would all make great additions.
a stack of mashed potato cakes with chive onion dip on top.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: Replace the flour with gluten-free all purpose flour, I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour and it turned out great!

Make it Dairy-Free: The mashed potato cakes are already dairy-free, but for a dairy-free dip, sub the sour cream for your favorite non-dairy sour cream. I love Kite Hill’s Sour Cream Alternative, or Forager’s Dairy-Free Sour Cream.

Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes with Chive-Onion Dip
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Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes with Chive-Onion Dip

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Turn those leftover mashed potatoes into crispy, pan-fried cakes! A super simple recipe for crispy on the outside, soft of the inside mashed potato cakes. These are hands-down the best way to give those leftovers a second life!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cold mashed potatoes

  • 1 cup all purpose flour

  • 2 eggs

  • salt and black pepper, to taste

  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil

  • For the chive-onion dip:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • small pinch of salt

Directions

  • In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, flour, eggs, salt, and black pepper.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, drop in ¼ cup of potato batter and slightly flatten to create a pancake. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown, then repeat with remaining batter.
  • Make the onion-chive dip by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking to combine. Serve mashed potato cakes warm with dipping sauce.

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30 Minutes or Less

One-Pan Chicken and Rice Recipe

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overhead image of chicken and rice in a pan with lemon slices on top.

Quick, easy, and super delicious one-pan chicken and rice! Full of flavor, with a handful of simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. This chicken and rice recipe is the perfect weeknight meal, ready in just 30 minutes!

overhead image of chicken and rice on a plate with lemon, parsley, and white wine on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make This Chicken and Rice Recipe

Chicken – Any piece of chicken will work in this recipe! I used skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, because they pack in tons of delicious flavor. However, feel free to use chicken breasts for a healthier option, or chicken legs if that’s what you have handy.

White Rice – The rice in this recipe must specifically be long grain white rice. Other rices will have a different cook time/method, and simply won’t work. I used this brand of organic long grain white rice, but any will work!

Broth – Either chicken or vegetable broth will taste great! Though if you don’t have broth, you can use 2 cups of water plus one chicken or vegetable bouillon cube instead.

chicken and rice in a pan with a serving spoon.

Tips and Tricks

  • I recommend a large skillet with high sides and a tight fitting lid for this chicken and rice recipe. Since everything gets cooked in the same skillet, make sure the one you use is large enough to fit all ingredients! I use and looooove my Always Pan – I can’t recommend it enough.
  • You can make this in your Instant Pot if you’d like! To do that, sear the chicken then cook the onion and garlic on the saute setting. Then, add in all remaining ingredients, secure lid, and set to manual high pressure for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, your chicken should be cooked through, and your rice fluffy!
close-up image of chicken and rice in a pan with lemon slices on top.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: While this recipe is already both gluten and dairy-free, I always recommend double checking your rice to make sure it’s 100% gluten-free. Most rice is, but some contain trace amounts of gluten.

Make it Paleo/Grain-Free: For a paleo chicken and “rice” recipe, replace the white rice with cauliflower rice. To do this, reduce the amount of broth you use to just 1/4 cup, then cover skillet and cook until the chicken is cooked through.

One-Pan Chicken and Rice Recipe
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One-Pan Chicken and Rice Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Quick, easy, and super delicious one-pan chicken and rice! Full of flavor, with a handful of simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. This chicken and rice recipe is the perfect weeknight meal, ready in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 4 pieces chicken (I use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs)

  • salt and black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice

  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • fresh chopped parsley, for serving

Directions

  • Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then season well with salt and black pepper.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken into hot skillet, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. (You do not want to fully cook the chicken in this step, just sear it until brown).
  • Remove chicken from skillet, then add onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook 4-5 minutes or until onion is soft.
  • Add in the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the rice, then pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Gently stir and lift any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  • Return chicken to the skillet, then bring rice to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Cover skillet with lid, and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat, add in lemon juice and gently fluff rice with a fork. Serve warm with fresh chopped parsley on top.

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Dairy-Free

“Cheesy” Vegan Enchiladas

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overhead image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish

Wholesome and comforting vegan enchiladas! Stuffed with mushrooms, black beans, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and finished off with creamy vegan queso. It doesn’t get any cozier or more delicious than these “cheesy” vegan enchiladas!

close-up image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish

What You’ll Need To Make Vegan Enchiladas

Tomato Paste – The key to a rich and creamy enchilada sauce is tomato paste. The concentrated flavor in tomato paste gives our sauce an extra tangy and intense taste.

Vegetable Broth – Most homemade enchilada sauces are made with chicken broth, but to keep ours plant-based, we use vegetable broth instead. Vegetable broth contributes an additional hint of flavor to this already super flavorful recipe. If you don’t have vegetable broth, you can use two cups of water in its place.

Mushrooms – Finely chopped mushrooms provide our vegan enchiladas with a “meaty” texture! I personally love mushrooms, and add them to many of my vegan recipes. They’re a healthy, delicious, and versatile source of plant-based protein. However, if you don’t enjoy mushrooms, you can use 1/2 cup of cooked lentils instead.

Black Beans – Our other source of protein is a can of drained and rinsed black beans! They, similar to mushrooms, give this meatless dinner recipe a heartier texture.

Tortillas – Feel free to use any tortillas you’d like! Corn tortillas or flour tortillas are the standard, but grain-free tortillas taste delicious as well. Though regardless of the type of tortillas you use, make sure they’re no larger than 8-inches. This way, once rolled they’ll fit perfectly in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Vegan Cashew Queso – The secret ingredient to our “cheesy” vegan enchiladas is half a cup of my vegan cashew queso! It’s super quick and easy to take, coming together in under 10 minutes. While highly recommended, you can make this recipe without the vegan queso if you’d prefer.

overhead image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish with cilantro and limes on the side

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: For gluten-free enchiladas, use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Also, be sure the corn starch you’re using in the enchilada sauce is also gluten-free.

Make it Paleo: These vegan enchiladas are very easily made paleo as well! To do this, replace the corn starch with arrowroot starch and black beans with diced, then roasted sweet potatoes. Also, use your favorite paleo tortillas, such as Siete Almond Flour Tortillas for rolling your enchiladas.

Add Cheese: If not vegan or dairy-free, finish this dinner recipe off with a sprinkling of your favorite shredded cheese right before baking!

“Cheesy” Vegan Enchiladas

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

40

minutes

Wholesome and comforting vegan enchiladas! Stuffed with mushrooms, black beans, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and finished off with creamy vegan queso. It doesn’t get any cozier or more delicious than these “cheesy” vegan enchiladas!

Ingredients

  • For the enchilada sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons corn starch

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

  • 6 ounces tomato paste

  • 2 cups vegetable broth

  • For the filling:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) mushrooms, finely chopped

  • 1 bell pepper, finely chopped

  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • For the enchiladas:

  • 8 8-inch tortillas

  • 1/2 cup vegan cashew queso, optional

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Make the enchilada sauce by whisking together olive oil and corn starch in a large skillet over medium heat, until starch has fully dissolved.
  • Add in the chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Pour in apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and vegetable broth, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  • Prepare the filling by heating olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add in mushrooms, bell pepper, and yellow onion, cook for 3-5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
  • Add in black beans, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and ½ cup of enchilada sauce you made earlier. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
  • Roll enchiladas by placing ¼ cup of filling mixture in the center of each tortilla, ten rolling tortilla around filling to seal. Repeat this process until all 8 tortillas are stuffed and rolled.
  • Spoon half homemade enchilada sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish. Then, place all 8 enchiladas on top of sauce with the seam side facing down.
  • Top with remaining enchilada sauce, then vegan cashew cheese if using. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

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30 Minutes or Less

Easy & Creamy Taco Pasta

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Creamy Taco Pasta

Ready in under 30 minutes, this Creamy Taco Pasta recipe is packed with ground beef, pasta, taco seasoning, onion, garlic, chicken broth and cream cheese. A delicious weeknight meal that pairs perfectly with salad and homemade bread.

This Creamy Taco Pasta recipe is one of my favorite weeknight pasta dishes, and is sure to fulfill your taco cravings! The addition of cream cheese adds the perfect amount of creaminess to this dish and makes for a healthy balanced meal when paired with a fresh salad and avocado. Even better, you can have this creamy taco pasta on your table in under 30 minutes, making it the perfect pasta recipe for busy weeknights!

Main Ingredients Needed For This Taco Pasta Recipe

  • Ground Beef – You can also use turkey or chicken if you prefer!

  • Pasta – I used gluten-free.

  • Cream Cheese – I used non-dairy.

  • Taco Seasoning

  • Garlic Cloves

  • Onion

  • Chicken Broth

  • Olive Oil

Tips When Making Creamy Taco Pasta

  • Milk: You can use 2 additional cups of chicken broth in place of the milk if you’d like.
  • Pasta: I used Jovial Gluten-Free Brown Rice pasta, which yielded delicious results. Though feel free to use any pasta you have on hand. Small shells, elbow macaroni, mini penne pasta, or egg noodles work great.
  • Cream Cheese: I used Kite Hill Non-Dairy Cream Cheese and highly recommend!
  • Additions: Feel free to add some corn, avocados, or black beans to the pasta.
Easy & Creamy Taco Pasta
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Easy & Creamy Taco Pasta

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

Ready in under 30 minutes, this Creamy Taco Pasta recipe is packed with ground beef, pasta, taco seasoning, onion, garlic, chicken broth and cream cheese. A delicious weeknight meal that pairs perfectly with salad and homemade bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

  • 1 Onion (diced)

  • 1 Pound Ground Beef, Turkey or Chicken

  • 3 Garlic Cloves (minced)

  • 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

  • 1 Packet Taco Seasoning

  • 3 Cups Chicken Broth

  • 1 Cup Milk

  • 1 10-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes (drained)

  • 12 Ounces Pasta (GF)

  • 1 Cup Cream Cheese

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in onion, ground beef, and a pinch of salt, cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat from pot before proceeding.
  • Add in garlic, cook for 1 minute before adding in tomato paste and taco seasoning. Sauté for about 3 minutes or until very fragrant.
  • Pour in chicken broth, milk, and drained diced tomatoes, then bring everything to a rolling boil.
  • Add in pasta, reduce heat so pot doesn’t boil over, and cook pasta uncovered according to box instructions (should take anywhere from 8-13 minutes).
  • Remove pasta from heat and stir in the cream cheese until melted, then serve warm.

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