Chicken Fajitas
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Smoky grilled chicken, sizzling peppers and onions, and all the classic accompaniments—whip up chicken fajitas at home that rival those from your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant!
Chicken fajitas are a popular Tex-Mex dish with flavorful chicken strips served with sautéed onions and bell peppers. The chicken is marinated in a mix of warm spices, lime, and garlic, which helps tenderize the meat and boost flavor. Served with warm flour tortillas and toppings like guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheese, fajitas are always a hit.
In restaurants, fajitas are often served on a sizzling cast iron plate for added flair. While it might be tricky to replicate that sizzling experience at home, my version is just as tasty, if not better! These fajitas are flavorful, customizable, and easy to prepare, making them perfect for weeknight dinners or casual get-togethers. Plus, leftovers are great in salads, tacos, burritos, and more.
“Amazing! These are by far the best fajitas! I may or may not have licked the platernrn”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins for this recipe. If using breasts, they need to be pounded to an even thickness before marinating. Tenderloins do not require pounding, making them a a great time-saver.
- Vegetable oil: The base for the marinade. Also used to cook the peppers.
- Garlic: Adds a pungent, aromatic flavor to the marinade.
- Lime zest: Provides a bright, citrusy flavor to the dish without the risk of toughening the chicken, as lime juice would.
- Cumin, oregano, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika: This blend of spices adds warmth, earthiness, and a smoky flavor to the fajitas. Skip the fajita seasoning packet from the supermarket—it contains additives and isn’t nearly as tasty as what you can pull together quickly at home. If you’d like to add a little heat, include a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Soft flour tortillas: The wrap for the fajitas.
- Red Onion & Bell Peppers: This classic fajita duo provide sweetness and crunch, adding a fresh, vibrant element to the fajitas. If you’re a spicy food lover, try substituting some of the bell peppers for jalapeño peppers.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. This helps tenderize the chicken and makes sure it cooks evenly. (If you’re using chicken tenderloins, you can skip this step.)
Next, make the marinade by combining the oil, garlic, lime zest, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt right in a Ziplock bag (no dirty bowls!). Note that I don’t use lime juice in the marinade. I find that acidic ingredients alter the texture of boneless skinless chicken breasts, making them tough and leathery. The zest of the lime imparts lime flavor without changing the texture of the meat.
Mash all of the ingredients together, then add the chicken to the marinade and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight—the longer you marinate, the more flavor your fajitas will have.
When you’re ready to grill, heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions.
Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables start to brown. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits, and keep cooking until the veggies are caramelized and tender-crisp. (This veggie mixture can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.)
When you’re ready to serve the fajitas, preheat the grill. Grill the chicken, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice into strips. Arrange the chicken and peppers on a platter and set out with all the fixins, like guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream and cilantro. Be sure to warm your tortillas before serving; warming helps to make the tortillas softer and more pliable, and it also enhances their flavor.
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Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ to 1¾ lbs chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, from 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ¾ teaspoon ancho chile powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 to 12 small soft flour tortillas
For the Peppers
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion, sliced ¼-in (6-mm) thick
- 2 bell peppers sliced ¼-in (6-mm) thick
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Optional Accompaniments For Serving
- Sour cream
- Guacamole, store bought or homemade
- Salsa, store bought or homemade
- Shredded cheese
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- (Skip this step if using chicken tenderloins.) One at a time, place the chicken breasts in a sealable plastic bag and, using a meat mallet, pound to an even ½-in (13-mm) thickness.
- Open a 1-gallon zip-lock bag and place in a medium bowl. Add the oil, garlic, lime zest, cumin, oregano, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt into the bag. Mash the outside of the bag with your hands to blend the marinade together. Add the tenderloins or pounded chicken breasts and seal shut, releasing any air in the bag. Using your hands, massage the marinade into meat until evenly coated. Place the bag back in the bowl and place in the refrigerator (the bowl protects against leakage); let the chicken marinate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Clean the grill and preheat to high.
- While the grill heats, cook the peppers. Heat the oil in a large skillet (preferably not non-stick) over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions, peppers, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to brown and a brown film forms around edges of the bottom of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) of water to the pan; scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, until the water is evaporated and the pan starts to brown again; add ¼ cup (60 ml) more water and cook a few minutes more, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Season to taste with more salt and sugar if necessary. Set aside.
- Oil the grates on the grill. Grill the chicken, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Let the chicken cool slightly, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into ½-inch (13-mm) strips.
- Arrange the chicken and peppers on a serving platter. To warm the tortillas: stack 4 to 6 tortillas on a plate and cover them with a damp paper towel, then microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve with the chicken, peppers and optional accompaniments.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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The fajitas were amazing. I tripled the marinade and did 2lbs of chicken tenderloins, 2lbs of skirt steak, and 2lbs of shrimp. I marinated the chicken overnight, steak for ~8hours, and shrimp for an hour. Everyone loved it!
Hi Jenn,
I don’t have a grill pan or a grill. Can I make these on stove top? I was going to sauté the onion/pepper mixture, remove from pan and then cook the chicken. Then combine everything. Would that work? Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!
Hi Sohnia, Not having those is not a problem. You can use the oven or the stove to cook them inside. If you use the oven, I’d place them on a broiling pan and broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is done. If you use the stove (you’ll need to turn the oven on too), sear the chicken in an oven-proof sauté pan over high heat (for a min or two per side until browned) then finish it in a 350-degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Thank you so much!
Hi Jen,
I have made this recipe several times to the delight of even the fussiest eaters. Easy, delicious, a home run!
Here’s the wrinkle: I’ve signed up to bring dinner to a group home and would like to make a big tray of chicken fajitas. However, I need to cook it ahead of time and rewarm. What’s the best way to accomplish this without drying everything out? Also, do you have any recommendations for universally enjoyed accompaniments?
You are my cooking North Star!
Hi Nora, so glad you like the fajitas and the kind words! 🙂
I’d reheat the chicken, covered in foil, in a 325°F oven until hot. And regarding the sides, not sure if you’ve ever noticed it, but I have a feature on the website– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see the dishes that I’ve suggested. (You’ll see, in this case, it’s guac, salsa, and a corn dish.) Hope that helps!
Excellent marinade! Lime juice does make chicken mealy and yucky. Am making for friends this weekend.
Hi Jenn-
I’ve been making this chicken at least every other week for the last couple years. My kids never tire of it! Wondering if I could use this marinade for shrimp as well?
Glad you’ve been enjoying it! Yes, this marinade should work for shrimp as well. 🙂
My family and guests LOVE these fajitas but my son requested a steak version as well. Could you use the same marinade for beef and is so what cut of meat would you recommend?
Hi Debbie, so glad the fajitas were a hit! Yes, a steak version would also work nicely. I’d suggest flat iron steak. Please LMK how they turn out with steak! 🙂
As others have noted the flavors are spot on! My wife made Chicken Fajitas for our first meal together 30 years ago in NYC. I have cooked thousands of meals since that time but never Fajitas since this has always been a meal my wife cooks. I surprised her for Valentines Day with this dish and was even able to get the skillet to come out crackling hot! Looking forward to making these again and next time I will be making Once Upon a Chef Guacamole to boot. Thanks Jen for your outstanding sensibilities in the kitchen.
This chicken is now a go-to recipe of mine! I love the marinade, especially to make for chicken to go on a salad.
Excellent! The flavors are spot on.
I prefer to wipe off some of the thick marinade before grilling; I thought the flavors were a little strong when I grilled it with a lot of the marinade still on it. Sometimes I grill whole jalapenos along with the chicken, or add some to the bell peppers for some heat.
I’ve always loved fajitas for a busy weeknight, but these are flavor-packed and as good as anything I’ve had in a restaurant. Yum!! Easy go-to recipe!
Chicken fajitas used to be a meal I could only get by dining out but not anymore 🙂 This has been on my weekly rotation for a good year. It makes the whole family so happy! Just have to throw the marinade together before going to work and husband does the grilling. Excellent go-to recipe for easy weeknight meal!