Best Recipe For Chicken Fajitas

How To Make Chicken Fajitas:

The Best Chicken Fajitas | Easy Mexican Recipe

Once your chicken has been cut into lovely thin strips, its ready to begin its transformation from plain chicken breast into juicy, tender, flavorful bites of chicken fajita goodness. In other words, its ready to marinate in some classic Mexican flavorsplus a few less-than-traditional taste-enhancing additionsget cooked up with a rainbow of peppers, and fill warm flour tortillas.

Heres how to make chicken fajitas:

OK, weve kind of buried the lede here. This is the best chicken fajita recipe ever because of the secret ingredient weve snuck into our marinadecanned, crushed pineapple! Pineapple is not just sweet and tangy, its also quite unusually acidic, making it ideal for marinating meat of all kinds. Our chicken fajita marinade pairs it with lime juice and a bit of cider vinegar to tenderize the chicken quickly and imbue it with loads of flavor. Worcestershire sauce, jalapeños and garlic round out this savory slurry, and make the chicken as savory as it is tender.

Prep your vegetables. Your chicken needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temp , in other words the perfect chance to prep the rest of the fajita ingredients and maybe mix up a pitcher of margaritas. Slice the red onion and bell peppers thatll go inside your fajitas, and maybe prep all of the fajita toppingsavocado, lime, and queso frescowhile youre at it.

Crank those burners & yell dinner in ten!its time to cook!

How Do I Season Chicken For Fajitas

These chicken fajitas are flavored with an easy homemade fajita seasoning. While you can purchase fajita seasoning packets, I find combining my own spices not only adds more flavor but has less salt and additives.

In a pinch, you could use taco seasoning .

I add a bit of olive oil and some lime juice to create a chicken fajita marinade. Starting with the chicken, I allow it to sit in the marinade while I prep the rest of the ingredients.

Tips For The Best Mexican Chicken Casserole

Dont skimp on the seasoning! You want all of the chicken to be well seasoned.
If you want a little more spice, you can add the taco seasonings to your veggies as well.
The veggies are not sauteed before they are added to this dish, so they retain a little crunch. If you prefer your peppers and onions to be a little bit softer, I would lightly saute them before adding to the casserole dish

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How Long Do Chicken Fajitas Last In The Fridge

chicken: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
pico de gallo: is best consumed the same day it is made as the tomatoes will continue to release juices BUT it can be stored for up to three days.
guacamole: can be stored for 2-3 days. The top layer will begin to oxidize and turn brown upon storage but this doesnt mean the guacamole has gone bad, but it can be unappetizing. To store guacamole, store in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the guacamole. This will help decrease the speed at which the avocados brown due to oxidation.

Why We Love This Authentic Fajita Recipe

Great for a crowd: This recipe serves four, but can easily be doubled if youre entertaining. Set up a fajita bar for everyone to build their own fajitas with all their favourite toppings. Its so colourful when served!

Make ahead: The chicken can be seasoned ahead of time and left to marinate, but if you want to cook it all up in advance, the leftovers are pretty tasty too!

So easy! This is one of my go to family-friendly recipes for a reason. Theres minimal prep and because its made in one pan, clean up is a breeze! Isnt that everyones dream come true?

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What Youll Need To Make Chicken Fajitas

Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins for this recipe. The breasts need to be pounded to an even thickness before marinating, so tenderloins are a great time-saver.

Spices: I use chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and lime zest to flavor my chicken. Dont be tempted to buy a fajita seasoning packet from the supermarket they contain additives and arent nearly as tasty as what you can pull together quickly at home. If youd like to add a little heat to your spice mixture, include a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.

Peppers: Bell peppers are standard, but if youre a spicy food lover, try substituting some of the bell peppers for poblano or even jalapeño peppers.

What Do You Serve With Chicken Fajitas

When I make this dish I serve it with tortillas, pinto beans and rice, and a variety of toppings. You can use flour or corn tortillas, whichever you prefer. Watching your carbs? Skip the rice and tortillas and serve your chicken and vegetables over cauliflower rice. Some of my favorite toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, lettuce and olives. I typically put out bowls of all the different toppings and let everyone serve themselves to make their own creations.

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Storing And Reheating Tips

If youve got shrimp fajita leftovers, count yourself lucky . But the good news is that they reheat easily and you can switch up the toppings to keep them interesting. Heres how to store them:

Store leftovers: Pack them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to reheat: Just microwave a bowl or plate of the fajitas for a minute or until warmed through.

Tips For The Best Fajitas Recipe

CHICKEN FAJITAS | the best easy mexican recipe homemade seasoning

Use fresh ingredients.
Allow at least 1 hour to marinade for enough flavor absorption , dont go beyond 6 hours though or chicken texture can be altered.
Stick with thinner chicken breasts, thats why we halve them here. Otherwise theyd burn by the time theyve cooked through.
Halving the chicken also allows for more surface area for better flavor penetration with the marinade.
Use a medium-high heat to get a nice char on the chicken, but if you notice its browning too quickly before the inside has a chance to cook through reduce the burner temp slightly as needed.
Dont overcook the chicken breasts or they will be dry! Cook right to 160 165 degrees .
Cook veggies to a tender crisp texture. They shouldnt be crunchy but they shouldnt be soft and mushy, just right in between.

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What To Do With Leftover Chicken Fajitas

There are so many ways to enjoy delicious chicken fajita leftovers! Here are some ideas:

Salad Serve over greens with homemade salsa, tomatillo avocado salsa verde, or ranch dressing.
Rice bowls Top your favorite rice or cauliflower rice with leftover fajitas and any toppings.
Omelette or scrambled eggs Dice up the chicken mixture and use it as an omelette filling along with some cheddar cheese.

How Do You Make Chicken Fajitas

This recipe starts with chicken breasts, which are sliced then soaked in a flavorful marinade. The marinade is a combination of lime juice, olive oil and plenty of spices. An assortment of peppers and onions are also coated in the same marinade. Place your marinated chicken and vegetables in a hot pan, then cook until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Add a sprinkle of cilantro, then serve and enjoy.

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Can You Grill The Meat

Grilling chicken for fajitas adds another layer of flavor to the meal. If you do plan to use a grill, you will need to make a few small changes in the way you prepare the marinade and the meat.

Grilling small cuts of meat will dry them out. So, you will need to leave the chicken breasts whole.

Reserve some of the marinade before you add the chicken.

After the chicken is finished marinating, remove it from the marinade and grill.

Now you can slice it into small strips. To ensure that this is the best chicken fajitas recipe, slice across the grain for the juiciest chicken.

Pour the reserved marinade into a grilling pan and saute the veggies in it.

Make It Fit Your Budget

Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are usually significantly more expensive than green bell peppers, but you can use any mix that fits your budget. Despite using a couple of more expensive colored peppers, I used more vegetables than meat to keep costs low. The meat to veggie ratio ended up being perfect once everything had been cooked down. If you want to make these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas vegetarian, try this Chipotle Portobello Oven Fajita recipe.

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How To Cook Chicken Fajitas On The Stove

While you could make these easy chicken fajitas using just one skillet, we like to have two going at once to help get dinner on the table that much faster. Heres how we do it:

Toast your little flour tortillas until theyve got just a bit of a blister, but pull them out of the pan before they burn! This happens fastmaybe ten seconds on each side.
Sauté the chicken in one panabout ten minutes at medium heat.
Sauté the fajita vegetables in the other panthis also takes about ten minutes .
Serve! Lay out a spread of toppings, so that everyone can build their own fajita just how they like itan extra squeeze of lime juice, a little avocado for creaminess, or a big handful of queso fresco. Theres no wrong way!

Are Chicken Fajitas Healthy

The chicken in Chicken Fajitas is very healthy. It is a lean protein which means it doesnt have very much fat which can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and even lose weight all while helping to sustain your muscles. Chicken is also full of calcium and phosphorous which helps strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of arthritis.

Bell peppers are an excellent addition to a healthy diet. They are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C and over 30 different types of carotenoids. Researchers have found carotenoids improve eye health, and ward off eye disease as well as prevent certain types of cancers. Bell peppers are also full of vitamin C. 1 cup of sliced red bell peppers gives you 157% of your daily vitamin C content, which is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues. Its also involved in many body functions, including formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.

To keep Chicken Fajitas healthy, top them with healthy toppings such as substituting Greek Yogurt for sour cream.

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Cast Iron Skillet Or Pan

A cast iron skillet is what I use for the best sear. To use cast iron, make sure youve seasoned it properly first to avoid the meat sticking on the base. HOWEVER, if you dont own a cast iron, you can most certainly use a nonstick pan. Just get your pans hot first before adding your chicken.

Add your thighs in whole and cook them until they are completely cooked through. Allow them to rest, then slice. THIS guarantees the juiciest chicken thigh strips EVER. Cooking them as strips wont give you an incredibly juicy result.

I choose three different coloured red bell peppers to get the best visual impact of seeing fajitas on a plate. You can also add orange or use whatever colours you can find in your store.

You guys have so far loved my take on some incredibly crispy Pork Carnitas , not to mention these popular Chili Lime Steak Fajitas. Being a big believer of if-youre-onto-something-REALLY-good-why-change-it type of thing, I didnt mess around too much with your much loved chicken fajita marinade found in this amazing grilled chicken fajita salad here.

There you have it. The most juiciest, tender chicken strips with charred golden crusts and crunchy outer edges. Perfectly seared. Amazingly juicy.

Since I serve our fajitas straight from the skillet onto the table with a buffet of fajita additions, I add avocado slices to the pan just to slightly heat them up a tiny little bit.

Storage And Reheating Guidelines

Easy Beef Fajitas Recipe | Stove Top Beef and Chicken Fajitas

Refrigerator: The cooked Mexican chicken fajitas and pepper mixture will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

You can also store the fajitas already made, but I prefer to heat up the chicken mixture separately and serve it in fresh warm tortillas to prevent them from going soggy in the fridge.

To reheat: Reheat the leftover chicken mixture in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.

You can also reheat the already made fajitas on a baking sheet in the oven at 360F for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent them from drying out.

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Fajitas In A Grill Basket

Love fajitas, but don’t want to deal with multiple skillets and a smoky kitchen? Take it outside! These grill basket fajitas keep all the ingredients separate so everyone can have their favorite combinations without creating extra mess plus the grill adds a yummy char to everything.

Get the Recipe: Fajitas in a Grill Basket

Quick Chicken Fajita Recipe Overview:

What do chicken fajitas taste like? Fajitas combine juicy chicken seasoned with Mexican spices and sweet sauteed peppers and onions.
Are they easy to make? Yes, they are super easy! And with my tips, youll get the best chicken fajitas every time.
How much time will I need? Chicken fajitas take just 20 minutes start to finish.

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Cook The Chicken Fajitas

When you’re ready to cook, drain excess liquid from the marinated chicken.

Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a large cast iron skillet until shimmering

NOTE: you do not want to over-crowd the skillet. If you only have a smaller skillet then you will need to cook these chicken fajitas in two batches. Keep the first batch warm in the oven while making the second. Its important the chicken is in a single layer and the pan is heated with the oil to brown the meat.

Next, add the chicken, onions and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until chicken is browned, stirring occasionally.

Then, add the peppers and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Cook over high heat until seared/browned . If necessary, add more olive oil to brown the fajitas.

Video For Chicken Fajitas Recipe:

Made with boneless skinless chicken breast, this healthy chicken fajitas recipe is great for those who are calorie counting and looking for a low fat chicken recipe. But for those who want more flavor, you can use boneless skinless chicken thigh meat. The thigh meat will certainly add more flavor to the fajitas. The uses many spices but what makes this recipe so great is using Worcestershire sauce. The Worcestershire is only about 1 teaspoon, but it makes a tremendous difference to the chicken fajitas. Feel free to add more if you want for added flavor.

During Summer when you have the bbq out, you can grill the chicken for a great grilled chicken fajitas. For Cinco de Mayo parties, one of our favorite dishes to bring is a platter of these chicken fajitas to the buffet table. Hope you enjoy our easy chicken fajitas recipe because youll always want to stay home and cook a great Mexican dinner for you and your family! And if youre still craving awesome Mexican food, try these homemade smothered burritos, wow!

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A Quick Easy Foolproof Chicken Fajita Recipe

Let go of any cumbersome ideas you may have about fajitasthat theyre something you only order in restaurants, or that theyre only supposed to be made with steakand make a little room in your life for a new weeknight staple! Our easy chicken fajita recipe is here to make your life a little easier, and a whole lot tastier.

Healthy Grilled Shrimp Fajita Foil Pack

The only thing you’ll miss in these lightened up shrimp fajitas is that iconic restaurant sizzle sound. Serve them family style and let your guests choose their own toppers. We’ve provided the classics-cilantro, salsa and avocado-but go ahead and make up your own.

Get the Recipe: Healthy Grilled Shrimp Fajita Foil Pack

Ways To Serve Chicken Fajitas:

With flour tortillas or corn tortillas as originally intended.
In hard taco shells topped with lettuce and tomato or even a creamy slaw.
With a large salad full of romaine, grape tomatoes, avocados, salsa, and sour cream.
In a rice bowl, or over cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
Rolled in a warm tortilla with sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream and baked with enchilada sauce.
In lettuce cups instead of tortillas.
Chopped up leftovers stuffed inside of quesadillas for a perfect, easy leftovers meal.

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How Do I Make Easy Chicken Fajitas

The Best Mexican Chicken Fajitas Recipe- Cooking Chicken Fajitas My Way

Slice Chicken. The Chicken Fajitas recipe starts by slicing 2 chicken breasts in half horizontally. This ensures tender chicken that doesnt dry out.

. And then comes the magic. The chicken is marinated in your homemade chicken fajita seasoning of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, etc. swirled in a bath of lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, and Dijon Mustard. Marinate in the refrigerator 6 hours up to overnight .

Cook Chicken. When ready to cook, let chicken sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, this ensures even cooking. Next, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once very hot, dab excess marinade off chicken and add to skillet. Cook chicken undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over, cover , and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 2-4 more minutes , or until chicken is cooked through.

Rest Chicken. Remove cooked chicken to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing across the grain into strips. This resting time allows for moisture to redistribute and reabsorb evenly throughout the chicken. If you slice your chicken without letting it rest, the juices will ooze out and you will be left with dry chicken.

Assemble: Layer tortillas with Chicken Fajita mixture and desired toppings.

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