Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe

I finally perfected Easy Chicken Fajitas thanks to one pantry trick that makes weeknight dinners faster.

I don’t know why, but Easy Chicken Fajitas always end up being my weeknight showoff. Half the time I’m just guessing amounts and hoping for the best, yet the contrast of juicy chicken breasts and crunchy bell peppers somehow works.

I call it my Quick And Easy Chicken Fajita Recipe when I’m feeling smug, though there’s a tiny trick I won’t spell out here. It’s bold, a little messy, and oddly satisfying, and the family always asks for seconds.

If you’re curious, stick around, I promise it’s worth the fuss. You might mess up, and that’s fine.

Ingredients

• Lean protein powerhouse, fills you up, builds muscle, cooks fast, can dry out if overdone.
• Crisp colorful veggies, high in vitamin C and fiber, adds sweet and bright flavor.
• Zesty acidic punch, balances richness, adds freshness and tang, also helps tenderize meat.
• Pungent aromatics, tiny amount goes a long way, gives savory depth and warmth.
• Soft carbs that wrap everything, give structure and comfort, choose warmed or charred.
• Creamy healthy fat, boosts texture and mouthfeel, adds mild buttery flavor, full of fiber.
• Bright herb, herbaceous and citrusy, it freshens each bite, some people dislike it.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 3 bell peppers (red, green, yellow), thinly sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• fajita seasoning: 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
• 8 small flour tortillas (6 to 8 inch)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 medium avocado, sliced or mashed
• 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving
• Extra olive oil or cooking oil for the pan as needed

How to Make this

1. Mix the fajita seasoning in a small bowl: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne if you like heat.

2. Prep everything: thinly slice the chicken across the grain, slice the 3 peppers and onion, mince the garlic, chop cilantro, slice or mash the avocado, shred the cheese if not pre-shredded and cut the limes into wedges.

3. Marinate the chicken: toss the sliced chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lime juice, half the minced garlic and about half the seasoning mix, let it sit 10 to 15 minutes (or up to 2 hours in the fridge).

4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high with a splash of oil, once hot add the chicken in a single layer and sear without crowding, cook 4 to 6 minutes stirring once or twice until browned and cooked through; cook in batches if needed so the pieces get color.

5. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover so it stays warm, dont skip this step or the meat can dry out.

6. Add a bit more oil to the same skillet, toss in the sliced peppers and onion, sprinkle the remaining seasoning over them and sauté 5 to 7 minutes until softened and a little charred, stir in the remaining garlic for the last 30 seconds.

7. Return the chicken to the pan, toss with the veggies and heat together 1 to 2 minutes so flavors marry, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

8. Warm the tortillas: wrap them in foil and heat in a 300°F oven 5 to 10 minutes or quickly heat each in a dry skillet 20 to 30 seconds per side until pliable.

9. Build the fajitas: spoon chicken and peppers onto each tortilla, sprinkle with shredded cheese so it melts on the hot filling, add a dollop of sour cream, avocado, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

10. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges, and a tip: slice chicken thin and cook on high heat for quick browning, dont overcrowd the pan and keep tortillas warm by covering them with a towel so they stay soft.

Equipment Needed

1. Large cast-iron or heavy skillet for searing chicken and getting the peppers a little charred
2. Chefs knife for slicing chicken peppers and onion
3. Cutting board (one for meat one for veggies if you can)
4. Small bowl or ramekin for mixing the fajita seasoning and for marinating
5. Measuring spoons for the spices and lime juice
6. Tongs or a sturdy spatula to flip the chicken and toss the veggies
7. Plate plus foil or a clean kitchen towel to rest and keep the chicken warm
8. Cheese grater and a citrus reamer or fork to juice the limes

FAQ

Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken breasts: swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs (same amount, they stay juicier) or for a vegetarian twist use 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and thinly sliced—pan sear till browned and don’t overcook it.
• Bell peppers: any color combo works, or use 2 cups sliced zucchini or cremini mushrooms if peppers aren’t available—they’ll release more water so cook a bit longer to get good browning.
• Flour tortillas: use warm corn tortillas for a gluten reduced option, or large romaine leaves for a lighter, low-carb fajita wrap (toast corn tortillas briefly so they don’t crack).
• Sour cream: plain Greek yogurt is the easiest swap (same tang, more protein), or use Mexican crema or a quick avocado crema for extra richness.

Pro Tips

1. Pat the chicken dry before slicing and seasoning, it helps the meat brown way better and stops it from steaming. Also slice across the grain real thin so it stays tender when you cook it.

2. Use a very hot pan and cook in small batches so pieces get a good sear, dont crowd the skillet or you just end up with pale boiled chicken. If your olive oil smokes too fast swap to a neutral high smoke oil for the sear.

3. For peppers and onions, crank the heat toward the end to get little charred bits, but add salt only after they soften some so they dont get waterlogged. Stir in the garlic only at the last 30 seconds so it doesnt burn and go bitter.

4. Keep everything warm and melty by stacking warmed tortillas in a towel and returning the hot filling to the pan to finish with the cheese on top so it melts from the residual heat. Let the cooked chicken rest loosely tented a few minutes too so it stays juicy.

Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally perfected Easy Chicken Fajitas thanks to one pantry trick that makes weeknight dinners faster.

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Servings

8

servings

Calories

471

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large cast-iron or heavy skillet for searing chicken and getting the peppers a little charred
2. Chefs knife for slicing chicken peppers and onion
3. Cutting board (one for meat one for veggies if you can)
4. Small bowl or ramekin for mixing the fajita seasoning and for marinating
5. Measuring spoons for the spices and lime juice
6. Tongs or a sturdy spatula to flip the chicken and toss the veggies
7. Plate plus foil or a clean kitchen towel to rest and keep the chicken warm
8. Cheese grater and a citrus reamer or fork to juice the limes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

• 3 bell peppers (red, green, yellow), thinly sliced

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• fajita seasoning: 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional

• 8 small flour tortillas (6 to 8 inch)

• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 medium avocado, sliced or mashed

• 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving

• Extra olive oil or cooking oil for the pan as needed

Directions

• Mix the fajita seasoning in a small bowl: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne if you like heat.
• Prep everything: thinly slice the chicken across the grain, slice the 3 peppers and onion, mince the garlic, chop cilantro, slice or mash the avocado, shred the cheese if not pre-shredded and cut the limes into wedges.
• Marinate the chicken: toss the sliced chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lime juice, half the minced garlic and about half the seasoning mix, let it sit 10 to 15 minutes (or up to 2 hours in the fridge).
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high with a splash of oil, once hot add the chicken in a single layer and sear without crowding, cook 4 to 6 minutes stirring once or twice until browned and cooked through; cook in batches if needed so the pieces get color.
• Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover so it stays warm, dont skip this step or the meat can dry out.
• Add a bit more oil to the same skillet, toss in the sliced peppers and onion, sprinkle the remaining seasoning over them and sauté 5 to 7 minutes until softened and a little charred, stir in the remaining garlic for the last 30 seconds.
• Return the chicken to the pan, toss with the veggies and heat together 1 to 2 minutes so flavors marry, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
• Warm the tortillas: wrap them in foil and heat in a 300°F oven 5 to 10 minutes or quickly heat each in a dry skillet 20 to 30 seconds per side until pliable.
• Build the fajitas: spoon chicken and peppers onto each tortilla, sprinkle with shredded cheese so it melts on the hot filling, add a dollop of sour cream, avocado, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
• Serve immediately with extra lime wedges, and a tip: slice chicken thin and cook on high heat for quick browning, dont overcrowd the pan and keep tortillas warm by covering them with a towel so they stay soft.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 256g
• Total number of serves: 8
• Calories: 471kcal
• Fat: 20.8g
• Saturated Fat: 7.2g
• Trans Fat: 0.06g
• Polyunsaturated: 1.8g
• Monounsaturated: 7.4g
• Cholesterol: 94mg
• Sodium: 665mg
• Potassium: 688mg
• Carbohydrates: 32.8g
• Fiber: 4.8g
• Sugar: 3.6g
• Protein: 35.1g
• Vitamin A: 1192IU
• Vitamin C: 71.6mg
• Calcium: 190mg
• Iron: 1.6mg