Begin by measuring out all your ingredients and doing your prep work. Juice the 1.5 limes and set aside. Slice the chicken breasts into 1/2-inch strips, slice the bell peppers into strips, and slice the red onion. Chop the cilantro and dice the avocado just before serving. Once prepped, add the 1 cup rice and 1.25 cups water to a pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 12 minutes while you continue with the other components.

In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, reserved lime juice, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp salt until smooth. Set the lime crema aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1.25 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1.75 tsp chili powder, 1 tbsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Toss the chicken strips with this seasoning mixture, making sure each piece is well coated.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the sliced peppers and red onion from Step 1. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and develop light char marks. Transfer the vegetables to a clean plate and set aside. I like to cook the vegetables first because they take longer to soften than the chicken, and this way everything finishes at about the same time.

Add a light spray of cooking spray to the same skillet (no need to wash it—those browned bits add flavor) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken strips from Step 2 in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring, allowing them to develop a golden crust. Stir the chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Return the cooked vegetables from Step 3 to the skillet with the chicken, toss to combine, and remove from heat.

Remove the rice from heat (it should have finished simmering), keep the lid on for 10 minutes to allow residual steam to fully cook it through. After 10 minutes, fluff with a fork. While the rice rests, heat a light spray of cooking spray in a separate small skillet over medium heat. Add the rinsed and drained black beans and warm for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a pinch of salt to the beans for seasoning.

Divide the fluffed rice from Step 5 among serving bowls. Top each bowl with a portion of the chicken fajita mixture from Step 4 and the warmed black beans from Step 5. Drizzle generously with the lime crema from Step 2. Top with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced avocado, pico de gallo, salsa, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side for extra brightness.