This Taco Salad Recipe is quick, easy and healthy! It’s loaded with chicken, avocado, cheese, and covered in lighter ranch dressing!

I hate leftover ingredients.
Leftover full meals? Those are grand. One less meal for me to cook.
But, a bunch of random ingredients from a bunch of different meals that were previous cooked?
UGH. Worst. Ever.
Mostly because there are only 2 of us in the house, so I try to only buy what I need for the recipes I am planning to test that week, or else things just start rotting.
Which means there are never any “filler ingredients” to make a bunch of random items seem cohesive.

But, once a week or so, I make myself a “leftover ingredient” dinner.
I do not look forward to this day. And neither does Mr.FFF.
Especially if I made orange beef stir fry and gluten free brownies that week.
Pineapple chicken chocolate zucchini noodles anyone?
Nattt so good.
HOWEVER, sometime (read: once) my leftovers MADE SENSE you guys.

Like, I had lettuce. And other veggies. And chicken and some cheese. I even had some leftover of my favorite ranch dressing recipe from Wholesome Yum!
THERE WAS EVEN AN AVOCADO (!!!)
These are the things that I find exciting. Feel free to judge me.
And so became the first (and probably last) leftover ingredient dinner that I could actually share with you, and wouldn’t make you run for the hills in horror.
Or, at least just question my taste bud’z cred’.

Unfortunately, I have not had the required ingredients to re-eat this taco salad recipe fo’ realz since that fateful day, how-ev-er, the re-eatage has happened many a time in my brain. And, I sort of tried to re-create it with that Mason Jar healthy taco salad recipe.
Sidenote: This dinner also brought the huberoni happiness in his belly, which is a win because 1. As mentioned above he ain’t no friend to the weekly leftover meal and 2. He also ain’t no friend to a meal that is 90% vegetation.
Sidenote, the sequel: I just made the hubanana sound like the most un-friendly human on Earth but, in fact, he is the FRIENDLIEST human on earth. I always say that he can make friends with a stick.
It’s annoying.
I’m kidding. Sort of.

I’m tempted to tell you that it’s a fiesta in your mouth, but that is so cliché. I can’t say that.
Except I just did. In a total ninja-like sneaky way. SUCCESS.
There’s bacon, cheese, ranch and vegetative deliciousness. Oh, and there is H-E-A-L-T-H
I had me at bacon and cheese.
You too?

I knew there was a reason why I liked you.

Ingredients
- 2 Small Chicken breasts
- 4 Slices Turkey bacon
- 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Cup Red Pepper sliced (about 1/2 a large pepper)
- 1 1/2 Cups Zucchini sliced (about 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- Salt to taste.
- 4 Cups Lettuce of choice
- 1/4 Cup Chopped cilantro
- 1/3 Cup Reduced-fat grated Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 A sliced avocado
- Ranch dressing of choice. I like Fat-free Hidden Valley. *
Instructions
- To cook the chicken breasts:
- Spray your grillwith cooking spray and heat it to medium-high. Place the chicken breast on and grill it until it is no longer pink inside. This takes about 4-6 minutes per side (make sure you flip it half way through!)
- While the chicken grills, spray alarge pan with cooking spray and heat on medium-high heat. Cook the turkey bacon until it is nice and crispy, just about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and transfer to a paper towel to absorb any excess grease. Tear into small pieces.
- Heat the oil up in the bacon pan, still on medium-high heat, and toss in the red pepper, zucchini, garlic and season with a little bit of salt. Sautee the vegetables until they are a soft and slightly browned, which takes roughly 3-4 minutes.
- Toss the cooked veggies into a bowl and add the bacon pieces, lettuce, cilantro, grated cheddar cheese, avocado slices and as much Ranch dressing as you want. Mix well until all the lettuce is coated with the dressing.
- Transfer the mixed salad to two plates and top with a grilled chicken breast.
- DEVOUR
Tips & Notes:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
Danae @ Recipe Runner says
Leftover ingredients can be so hard to use, but you nailed it with this yummy salad! Pinned!
Taylor Kiser says
Woo hoo! Thanks so much lady! xoxo
Consuelo - Honey & Figs says
Awh Taylor, you’re my favorite! You aaaaaaaalways get to crack me up with your posts. The hubanana. Brilliant. Purely genius, just like this bowl of veggie and chicken cheesy goodness. It’s so my kind of dinner! And yeah, leftover ingredients are the worst 🙁
Taylor Kiser says
You know what? I actually thought of you when I typed Hubanana..as I know you like huberoni. Switching it up just for you girlllll 😉
Glad you like the salad, and agree on leftover hatred!
Carisa Smith says
Wow. This looks incredibly delicious. I love the way you plate and take pictures. It’s always so beautiful!
Taylor Kiser says
Thank you SO much, that means a lot to me Carisa!! 😀
Janie Lynn @ My Over-all Apron says
Mmm . . . this looks amazing! I absolutely love taco salad, but even more now that it is healthy! I will have to give this a go and post my version on my blog. I’ll keep you posted!
From your whole foody!
Janie Lynn
http://www.myover-allapron.blogspot.com – recent post: DAIRY-FREE VANILLA PUDDING
http://myover-allapron.blogspot.com/2014/07/dairy-free-vanilla-pudding.html
Taylor Kiser says
Yes, please let me know if you try it! Thanks so much Janie Lynn! 😀
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Ahh you’re too funny! I was literally lol-ing while I read this. And I SOOO wish I had the same fortune of having all these ingredients on hand right now. I’m literally out of everything and thinking about what to make for dinner is giving me a stress (and hunger) headache. Anyyyyways, if and when I have all of these things – I’m gonna devour this salad. It looks beyond yummy and amazing, and I simply need to try it. Pinned!!
Taylor Kiser says
UGH, I hate the hunger and stress headache, which eventually leads to becoming hangry! I hope you eventually get a chance to try it girlfriend! Thanks for the love and pinning! 😀
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says
Love it when the random leftover ingredients come together! This salad sounds absolutely perfect Taylor and the pics are gorg per usual! 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
Isn’t it the best?! Thanks so much girlfriend, you’re the sweetest! 😀
tahnycooks says
Salad of my dreams! I could devour this and seconds in a hot second! Love the colors too.
Taylor Kiser says
Thanks so much Tahny! 🙂
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
I have the same problems with leftovers! Asheley is all about eating leftovers, but I’m always less than excited. This recipe gives me hope that there is deliciousness to be found in the leftover ingredients in the fridge!!! Hahahaha. Very creative and definitely looks like a flavor party!!
Taylor Kiser says
Haha, I am happy that we aren’t the only ones! Yes, there is leftover hope Chris!!! Thanks so much 😀
Shashi @ runninsrilankan says
Hahaha you had me cracking up at this : “I had me at bacon and cheese. You too?” Too funny!
I will take a fiesta in my mouth anyday because a fiesta -to me-is a jazzed up partay!
What a wonderful combo of leftover ingredients – insanely, ridunculously delicious!
Taylor Kiser says
Yes, it is a jazzed up party – i like the way that you think!
Thanks so much girlfriend! I hope Tuesday is fab!
Nagi says
Oh yum! I love that you use zucchini in this – and the turkey bacon. Actually, I am really digging the ingredients your using in this full stop! Thanks so much for sharing this! And I LOVE your blog, can’t believe it’s the first time I’ve been here. Gorgeous photos too, to go with yummy food. Bookmarked to read properly and FOLLOWED!! See you around a lot more!
Taylor Kiser says
Thank you SO much Nagi! It is SO nice to have you here, you are so sweet! Please let me know if you try this, or any recipe – I would LOVE to hear from you 🙂
Nagi says
Oh wow, fastest response ever!! You’ll certainly be hearing from me again, I’ve bookmarked this recipe to make this week for lunch! See you around soon – don’t pop by my blog today cause I’m working on it right now and it’s a big old mess, I will be embarrassed if you see it today! PS I think your story is inspiring.
Taylor Kiser says
Haha, I just happened to be on the computer 🙂 But, I always try to respond to each comment/email the same day 🙂
Nagi, I would never judge a blog so don’t you even worry pretty lady! Thank you SO much, that means more to me than any recipe love!!