Chicken Fajitas

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Chicken fajitas are a classic Mexican recipe and a personal favorite for an easy, healthy, and flavorful weeknight meal. Juicy chicken breasts are seasoned and seared, then tossed with vibrant vegetables, and finished with a punch of fresh lime juice. And while this is the perfect meal wrapped with tortillas and toppings, I’ve got a few more tasty serving ideas below!

A skillet of chicken fajitas.
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Why Everyone Raves About These Chicken Fajitas

Chicken fajitas are hands-down the item I order most frequently at Mexican restaurants (besides guacamole, of course). There’s just something about the sizzling skillet being brought to the table that gets my taste buds excited! And the good news is that it’s incredibly easy to recreate this fabulous dinner at home. It’s also a fun crowd-pleaser for Taco Tuesday or when I’m hosting a dinner party. But here are a few other things to love about this recipe: 

  • The homemade fajita seasoning is unmatched. The simple blend of bold spices really elevates the flavor of the dish. I often make a double batch of the fajita seasoning to keep on hand.
  • It’s made in less than 30 minutes. From start to finish, it takes very little time to create juicy chicken, tender veggies, and an all-around satisfying meal. That’s why it’s a favorite for easy weeknight dinners.
  • It’s great for meal prep. You can store any leftover fajitas in the fridge to enjoy for several days or top the sliced chicken and veggies on salad greens for a lighter lunch. 
  • You can switch up the proteins. While chicken fajitas are my go-to, I often switch up this recipe and make shrimp fajitas or steak fajitas. Essentially, I’ll happily eat all the different types of fajitas. 
Ingredients for chicken fajitas.

Chicken Fajita Ingredients

  • Chicken Breasts: I’m using boneless skinless chicken breasts. But you could also use chicken thighs for an even juicier option. 
  • Vegetables: Sliced onion and bell peppers make for a bright and tasty fajita dish. I like to use red, yellow, and green bell peppers for lots of color, but you can choose any color of bell peppers.  
  • Lime: Grab a fresh lime to squeeze on top at the end. The punch of acidity really makes the dish.
  • Fajita seasoning: Skip the pre-made seasoning packets because nothing compares to the flavor of homemade seasonings. Plus, you’ll avoid any unnecessary fillers and additives. You just need a combination of chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  • Taco additions: A few essentials I love to prepare are my cassava flour tortillas, sour cream, pico de Gallo, and sliced avocados. But I’ll talk through more serving ideas below.

Is it better to use a fajita seasoning or marinade? Both are great options! I have a chicken fajita marinade (from my list of chicken marinades) that can be used for this recipe with delicious results. But the dry rub fajita seasoning flavors the chicken perfectly for an equally delicious and super quick meal. 

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Chicken Fajitas

Season the chicken. Generously sprinkle the fajita seasoning on both sides of the chicken and use your fingers to press it in.

Adding fajita seasoning on chicken breasts.

Sear the chicken. Lightly coat your skillet with oil and sear the chicken breasts on each side for 7 to 8 minutes. Then remove them from the pan and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing them into strips. 

Seared chicken breasts.

Saute the bell peppers and onion. While the chicken is cooking, slice the bell peppers and onions. Then saute them in the same skillet for a few minutes until caramelized. You’re essentially making fajita veggies!

Cooking vegetables in a skillet.

Mix everything and serve. Slice the chicken into thin strips and add them back into the skillet. You can also slice those strips in half again if they’re too thick. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top, and stir everything together before serving.

Sliced chicken breast on a wooden board.

Ways To Serve Chicken Fajitas

  • Make chicken fajita tacos or wraps: This is my favorite way to serve them! Grab a fresh batch of tortillas and prep a few toppings such as sliced avocados or guacamole, red salsa or pico de gallo, sour cream, and chopped cilantro. 
  • Go light with lettuce wraps. Instead of using tortillas, use butter lettuce to make a lettuce wrap! Then add your favorite taco toppings.
  • Make a fajita rice bowl: Make my cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice for a super delicious rice bowl. Then add black beans, sweet corn, cotija cheese, and a drizzle of lime crema or chipotle sauce on top for a flavorful touch.

Common Questions 

Do I need a cast iron skillet?

When it comes to cooking the chicken, a cast iron skillet is ideal for searing. It gives a nice char and maximizes the flavors from the seasoning. Just make sure to season your cast iron properly to prevent sticking. But if you don’t own a cast iron pan, a stainless steel pan will work.

Can I grill the chicken?

Fajitas are typically cooked in a skillet, but you are more than welcome to grill the chicken! You’ll get a nice smoky flavor, enhancing all those delicious Mexican spices.

Can I slice and season the chicken before cooking it?

Definitely! This is another great way to ensure the seasoning coats all sides of the chicken before it’s thrown onto the skillet. But again, it’s not necessary. 

How do I store leftovers?

Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the refrigerator the night before, then quickly reheat it in the microwave.

Skillet chicken fajitas.

More Easy Mexican Recipes

If you make this chicken fajitas recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.

Chicken fajitas in a black skillet.

Chicken Fajitas – Easy & Flavorful!

4.98 from 441 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 16 minutes
Total: 26 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Enjoy these easy chicken fajitas with chicken and vibrant veggies tossed in the best fajita seasoning. Wrap them in tortillas for a deliciously easy taco night! Watch the video below to see how I make them in my kitchen!

Video

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

Chicken Fajitas

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 bell peppers , thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ lime

Fajita Seasoning

For Serving

Instructions 

  • Make fajita seasoning. Add the fajita seasoning ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir together.
    A bowl of fajita seasoning.
  • Season the chicken. Generously sprinkle the fajita seasoning on both sides of the chicken and use your fingers to press it into the chicken.
    Chicken seasoned with fajita seasoning.
  • Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts for about 7 to 8 minutes on each side.
    Searing chicken in a skillet.
  • Slice the veggies. While your chicken is cooking, cut the bell peppers and onion into thin slices.
    Sliced vegetables on a wooden board.
  • Cook the veggies. Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it to a plate and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Add the bell peppers and onion to the same skillet over medium heat and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
    A skillet of fajita veggies.
  • Slice the chicken. When the bell peppers are just about done sauteing, slice the chicken breasts into strips. You can slice those pieces in half again for thinner strips of chicken.
    Sliced chicken breasts on a wooden chopping board.
  • Mix and serve. Add the chicken back into the skillet, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and stir everything together. Serve immediately with tortillas and extra toppings such as sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole.
    Skillet chicken fajitas.

Lisa’s Tips

  • If you’re unsure if your chicken is cooked through, use an instant-read thermometer to see if the internal temperature is 165°F. And since you’ll be letting the chicken rest while cooking the veggies, I recommend taking it out of the pan at around 160°F, as there will be carry-over cooking. 
  • If you want extra flavoring on your chicken, use my fajita marinade from this chicken marinade post! Plus, these can be frozen and used at a later time.

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 275mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2172IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chicken Fajita recipe, Chicken Fajitas, How To Make Chicken Fajitas
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally posted February 2020, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.98 from 441 votes (61 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




777 Comments

  1. I rarely leave reviews, but we just got done eating and it was SO good I just had to. Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe. The flavors are so perfectly balanced. We will be making this again and again!5 stars

  2. This was seriously so good!!! Pro tip- I pounded the chicken breast out a little bit to make sure they would all cook evenly. Cant wait to make again!5 stars

  3. I was looking for some healthy and yummy for my family. This recipe was delicious and super easy to make! My only problem was user error I didn’t thaw the chicken as well as I thought so it took forever to cook them. I added chicken broth to maintain juiciness and flavor which worked so well. Overall great recipe I’ll save to make again.5 stars

  4. This is so delicious. 😋 I definitely want seconds when I make this. Only thing I do different is to cut the chicken into thin slices before I cook them to make things cook faster and get more seasoning all over every bite. Just have to be careful not to overcook. I always add more peppers and onions because you can never have too much of those.5 stars

  5. Delicious! So easy, and meat was fork tender and flavorful after marinating for a couple of hours before cooking! Thanks for sharing.

  6. This recipe was delicious! The seasoning ratio was perfect and made for a very flavorful meal. The only thing I did different was substitute the breads for thighs and cut the raw chicken into strips and coat them with the seasoning in the pan. I feel like that really helped to give the chicken even more flavor. Thanks for such a yummy recipe. This will definitely be on rotation!

  7. Delicious! Made this tonight following the recipe exactly. My husband and I loved it. The chicken was so juicy and the whole dish so flavourful.5 stars

    1. Glad you enjoyed the Greek chicken burgers! Can you please write another comment on that recipe, instead of this chicken fajitas? Thanks Betty!

  8. Nice, easy weeknight meal. The chicken tasted great alone but after cooking the vegetables and adding back the chicken everything went blah. If I do again will make more seasoning and add to veggies.3 stars

  9. Chicken breasts can varie in size. So at leadt an approx. wt. on the chicken would be more helpful. That said, I am guessing you used an average sized breast, weighing about 6ish oz each??

  10. This recipe is so easy and flavorful. I usually make this Sunday afternoons to have for lunch for the week. I usually just serve it with basmati rice because that’s easier for lunch4 stars

  11. This was a huge hit with my family. It was so fun to make, and I liked that the directions helped me use my time efficiently. Everything came together smoothly and quickly. Thanks so much!5 stars

  12. it would seem that one could simply season your chicken as strips in the first place with your fajita seasoning; cook and remove, and then sear the peppers/onion mix briefly–then add the chicken back to the skillet. I think that the fajita seasoning would then be able to reach more of the meat than just the breasts’ surface.

    1. Hi Patricia – This recipe creates about 6 servings, so you could double or triple the recipe depending on how much they eat.

  13. This was absolutely delicious! I cut the chili powder in half due to a sensitive stomach, and finished with a light sprinkle of kosher salt. I will definitely making this again, and soon!!!

  14. This was absolutely delicious! I cut the chili powder in half due to a sensitive stomach, and finished with a light sprinkle of kosher salt. I will definitely making this again, and soon!5 stars

  15. Hi, I’ve now made this several times. It’s been great each time. We have it with your lime cream and pico de gallo.
    Thanks
    Ken.5 stars

  16. Hi there, I made this recipe but I found the seasoning a bit mild…would you suggest I double it next time? Thank you

    1. Try seasoning the chicken @ least 1 hr ahead. It would then act as a dry rub, so the seasoning can penetrate into the meat…Also, how old are your spices? You may want to cosider replacing any spice that is older than 1 yr old. Especially if stored in plastic…..just a thought

  17. I have used your recipe and directions multiple times and everytime it’s a hit and is thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and directions with us. So delicious!!!5 stars

  18. Made fajitas for the first time ever following this recipe and they turned out just great and yummilicious!!! Loved the seasoning. Will keep this recipe handy for future always. Thank you!5 stars