Chicken Fajitas

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This easy Chicken Fajitas recipe uses my perfected homemade fajita seasoning, juicy chicken thighs, and colorful peppers and onions, all sizzled up and ready to tuck into warm tortillas.

Chicken fajitas on a blue and white serving platter.


 

Fajitas are truly Tex-Mex! Down in the Texas borderlands, cattle ranchers and vaqueros (cowboys) would make fajitas with little bits of steak left over from butchering. Fajitas is a term for “little belts” which the thin strips of steak resembled.

You can make fajitas with chicken (like these), steak, shrimp, or even just veggies.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for chicken fajitas.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Fajita seasoning: This recipe uses my favorite homemade blend. For this recipe, I’ve portioned out exactly what you need to make this recipe if you don’t already have a jar on hand.
  • Chicken: For the juiciest chicken fajitas, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. After they’re finished cooking, I let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then I slice them up. Substitute chicken breasts if desired.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon).
A bowl of fajita seasoning.
  1. To a large zipper-top plastic bag, add chicken, cilantro, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Mash until chicken is evenly coated. Marinate at least 30 minutes (room temperature) or up to 1 hour (refrigerated).
Chicken marinading in a Ziploc bag.
  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until crispy and browned on one side, about 8 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side and chicken registers 165 degrees, about 8 to 10 minutes longer.
Chicken cooking on a black skillet.
  1. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into strips (do not discard fat in skillet).
Sliced chicken on a wood cutting board.
  1. To the skillet with the fat over medium-high heat, add bell peppers and onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Sliced veggies in a black skillet.
  1. Push peppers and onions to one side and add sliced chicken back to skillet for serving.
Chicken and veggies in a black skillet.
  1. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings.
A platter of chicken fajitas with tortillas and toppings on the side.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: Although you start with 2 pounds of raw chicken, you’ll have closer to 1 or 1 ½ pounds of cooked chicken after cooking. This recipe will make at least 4 servings (1 cup EACH chicken and vegetables per serving).
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: Make the seasoning well in advance and marinade the chicken up to 1 hour before you want to start cooking.
  • Favorite toppings for fajitas: Sour cream, hot sauce (such as Cholula and Tabasco), diced avocado or guacamole, minced fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Chicken and steak fajitas on two serving platters.
Platters of Chicken and Steak Fajitas with flour tortillas, Mexican Rice, and toppings on the side.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best pan for fajitas?

A cast-iron pan is your best bet since it can cook at high temperatures and give you restaurant-quality fajitas. Other great options: carbon steel pans or anodized aluminum pans. Stay away from non-stick; it can’t take the heat.

How do you warm tortillas?

Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add a few tortillas in a single layer it’s okay if they’re touching a little bit) and heat until softened on one side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and heat on the other side for another minute or so. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel or foil (or a hand-embroidered tortilla towel, if you have one).

Mexican Rice

Learn the secret to making restaurant-style Mexican Rice at home. It’s always perfect: tender, delicious, never sticky. Whether you are making dinner for the family or feeding 100, this recipe works every time and it tastes exactly the way you want it to!

55 minutes
View Recipe

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Chicken fajitas on a blue and white serving platter.

Chicken Fajitas

This easy Chicken Fajitas recipe uses my perfected homemade fajita seasoning, juicy chicken thighs, and colorful peppers and onions, all sizzled up and ready to tuck into warm tortillas.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings (1 cup EACH chicken and vegetables)
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Calories 396
4.92 from 12 votes

Ingredients 

For the fajita seasoning (see note 1):

For the marinade:

For the fajitas:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 3 large bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, or green) cut into strips
  • 1 large red onion halved and thinly sliced
  • tortillas warmed, for serving
  • sour cream and hot sauce, cilantro, and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon).
  • To a large zipper-top plastic bag, add chicken, cilantro, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Mash until chicken is evenly coated. Marinate at least 30 minutes (room temperature) or up to 1 hour (refrigerated).
  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until crispy and browned on one side, about 8 minutes.
  • Flip and cook until browned on the second side and chicken registers 165 degrees, about 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into strips (do not discard fat in skillet).
  • To the skillet with the fat over medium-high heat, add bell peppers and onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Push peppers and onions to one side and add sliced chicken back to skillet for serving. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Fajita seasoning: This recipe uses my favorite homemade blend. For this recipe, I’ve portioned out exactly what you need to make this recipe if you don’t already have a jar on hand.
  2. Chicken: For the juiciest chicken fajitas, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. After they’re finished cooking, I let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then I slice them up. Substitute chicken breasts if desired.
  3. Yield: Although you start with 2 pounds of raw chicken, you’ll have closer to 1 or 1 ½ pounds of cooked chicken after cooking. This recipe will make at least 4 servings (1 cup EACH chicken and vegetables per serving).
  4. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  5. Make ahead: Make the seasoning well in advance and marinade the chicken up to 1 hour before you want to start cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ouncesCalories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 46gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 227mgPotassium: 908mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4568IUVitamin C: 163mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Loved this! I didn’t find the seasoning too spicy at all, as some noted. Used thighs, as I always have them on hand, and they were moist and juicy. Used whole wheat tortillas and liked them with this. Will definitely make again.5 stars

  2. You have to marinate for more than an hour ! I tried making this with one hour of marinating .. bland

    I usually marinade over night .. I will continue to do that4 stars

    1. Hi Kelli, yes that would be fine! I personally would brown the skins on the stove and then finish the chicken in the oven (you’ll need an oven-safe skillet).

      1. Marinate the chicken as directed in the recipe. Pat dry with paper towels.
      2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until crispy and browned on one side, about 5 to 7 minutes without moving (the chicken should release easily on its own when it’s ready to be flipped).
      4. Flip the chicken and cook until a thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest thigh (juices should run clear), about 7 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a cutting board and let the chicken rest for a few minutes until cool enough to handle.
      5. Remove and discard the skin and bones and shred or slice the chicken. Proceed with the rest of the recipe to cook the peppers and onions.

      I hope this is helpful! If you have any other questions, just let me know. Thank you!

      Meggan

  3. Never thought to make these with beef. I’m pretty much chickened out – except for skin on, breaded and deep fried – true health food. lol

    Otherwise this is the recipe I already use. I brine, poach and shred my chicken so it stays juicier and soaks up the fajita flavors more, plus I use all four colors of bell peppers and lots of onion.

    These are very flavorful and reheat well too.5 stars

  4. Wow, really, I can’t get over that delicious taste! So simple and yet – Thank you for this recipe – it’s a real keeper5 stars