Chicken fajitas are full of flavor, quick and easy to make! They have a simple homemade seasoning mix, tender chicken and fresh peppers. The toppings are optional but add a great flavor.
On days when we don't have a lot of time for dinner, we like to make quick and easy meals like these fajitas! They are easy to make and can be on the table in less then 30 minutes.
Quite often when I buy chicken breasts, I cut some of it up and freeze it so it is ready for meals like this.
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Ingredients
These are pretty simple to make and use a homemade seasoning mix. We try to stay away from too much processed food here!
Chicken - Chicken breasts are best here for texture. As much as I love chicken thighs, they just have an odd texture in fajitas.
Peppers - We recommend using fresh peppers for the best texture and taste, but you can add frozen peppers instead. Frozen peppers are usually get a little mushy when you cook with them but in a pinch they are useable!
Onion - Yellow onions are best here for flavor, but you can use a sweet onion or even a white onion.
Lime - Lime adds a great flavor but it is optional.
Fajita seasoning mix
This easy chicken fajita recipe uses a homemade seasoning mix and it is really easy to make!
- chili powder - No substitutions recommended.
- paprika - You can use smoked or regular. We use regular because we use chipotle but I would use smoked paprika if not using chipotle.
- onion powder - Onion powder is best here for the flavor but you can substitute with a teaspoon of dried minced onion if needed.
- garlic powder - No substitutions recommended. Fresh garlic can be used in it's place, but powder is recommended here. If using fresh garlic, you would add it with the peppers not with the seasoning mix.
- cumin - No substitutions recommended.
- chipotle - Optional but recommended. If not using chipotle, I recommend using smoked paprika. Chipotle in the small amount will not make your chicken fajitas spicy so if you prefer spice, you will want to add some more!
How do you cut chicken breasts for fajitas?
There is no right or wrong way to make them at home! You can make them into thin long slices or you can make them more like little chunks. Typically in a restaurant they are served in thin slices, but we prefer them to be a little thicker here.
Ours look more like chunks then slices. I slice the chicken breast into thin slices but I don't cut the slices in half lengthwise to make them thinner slices. I cut them in half to make them shorter, not thinner so they are more like chunks.
What toppings go on fajitas?
There are many choices for toppings! We like to add a variety of things to our chicken fajitas and here is some of our favorites:
- cilantro lime rice - we love to add rice and this one just compliments all the flavors.
- black beans
- cheese - we recommend 4 cheese Mexican but use your favorite.
- Lime cilantro sour cream - Really easy to make and compliments the flavors of the fajitas!
- salsa - Salsa or fresh cut tomatoes.
- hot peppers
- lettuce - We don't use lettuce but I have heard it is good on top!
Add your favorite! Sometimes we add corn too for our daughter who loves making it into chicken fajita rice bowls instead of using a tortilla.
Frequently asked questions
Lime is recommended for flavor but you can leave it out. It is only for flavor and is not used to tenderize the meat.
Yes you can freeze the cooked chicken fajita filling for about 6 months. The peppers may lose a little bit of their texture, but they will still be good. Do not freeze them assembled, but you can also freeze the tortillas separately.
They are typically made on the smaller round tortillas, similar to the ones for soft tacos. We prefer to use the larger tortillas that are usually used for burritos. They work better when you add a lot of toppings.
Useful items for this recipe
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- Stainless steel pan - We used stainless steel here but you can use cast iron or non stick as long as it is a large pan.
- Hand juicer - You can also use your hand to squeeze the lime if you prefer.
- Small prep bowls - I didn't know how bad I needed prep bowls until I started to use them. They really make cooking easier!
Recipe
Easy Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil use enough to coat the bottom of the pan
- 1½ pounds chicken breast
- 1 yellow onion small to medium sized
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 yellow pepper can use orange or another red
- 1 lime
- ¼ cup water
Fajita Seasoning Mix
- 2½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika see notes
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle optional
- salt and pepper to taste recommend ¼ teaspoon salt to start
Toppings shown in the picture - Optional and not included in nutritional facts
- shredded cheese 4 cheese Mexican recommended
- cilantro lime rice
- black beans
- sour cream
- salsa
- lime cilantro sour cream
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts, onion and peppers into slices.
- Mix all ingredients for the seasoning mix into a small prep bowl.
- Juice the lime and add the lime juice to the water in a small prep bowl.
- In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add in the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, until it is no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside. Leave oil and any chicken juice in the pan.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back into the pan and pour the water/lime mix over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well.
- Add the seasoning, stir well and cook for about 2 minutes before serving.
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