Chicken Fajita Fried Rice

Name: Chicken Fajita Fried Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp lime juice; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp oregano; 1 tsp Coriander; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp paprika; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 3 cups cooked rice; 1 medium onion; 1 medium red pepper; 1 medium green pepper; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 2 tbsp lime juice; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tbsp oil; ¼ cup cilantro; 1 lime

User Reviews

4.8

72 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings
5 servings
Calories
481 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Mexican

Chicken Fajita Fried Rice

Iris Warren

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This Chicken Fajita Fried Rice is packed with flavor and is close to a perfect meal prep recipe in my eyes. It is made using marinated chicken thighs, rice, and fajita vegetables that reheats well and stores great in the fridge.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

For the Vegetables and Rice

3 cups cooked rice
1 medium onion
1 medium red pepper
1 medium green pepper or poblano
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp oil
¼ cup cilantro optional for garnish
1 lime optional for garnish

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Instructions

For the Rice

Day old rice is best for making fried rice because it has had the chance to dry out in the fridge. You can also buy pre cooked, frozen rice at the store that works well.
Prepare the rice the night before and store it in the fridge overnight. You will need 3 cups (450g) of cooked rice. You can use freshly cooked rice if needed, it is just better to use the day old stuff.

For the Chicken

Start by preparing your chicken marinade and marinate the chicken while you cut your vegetables.
Into a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Oil, lime juice, garlic powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cut your chicken thighs into thin strips of about ¼" in thickness. Think of the shape the meat is cut in for traditional fajitas, that is what you are going for.
Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat completely. Set aside to marinate while you prep the veggies.

For the Vegetables

Wash and cut the peppers into thin strips and cut those strips in half to make smaller pieces. You need 300g worth of peppers, it doesn't matter what color you use. I prefer to use poblano peppers in place of green bell peppers because they are cheaper where I live but I know they can be hard to find in certain areas.
Cut the onion into thin slices and mince the garlic.
If you want to top with cilantro, roughly chop it.

Cooking Process

Cast iron or carbon steel pans make for better fajitas. They allow for better coloring and therefore flavor. Heat your skillet over medium high heat and add in about ½ tbsp of oil. The chicken already has oil in the marinade so you shouldn't need to add much.
Add half the chicken and cook it until it has browned come up to temperature. Unless you have a giant pan, it will be best to cook the chicken in batches to achieve proper coloring.
As the chicken finishes cooking, transfer it to a plate to rest until you are ready for it later. Leave any oil and fond in the bottom of the skillet for the vegetables.
Once the chicken has finished, add in another ½ tbsp of oil for the vegetables. There should be a good amount of oil in the skillet from the chicken.
Add in the onions and peppers to cook. Season with salt to encourage them to cook faster. Cook them for 3-5 minutes to soften a bit and pick up color.
Add in the garlic and toss. Allow it to become fragrant and then dump in the cooked rice. Stir to combine and pour in 2 tbsp of lime juice.
Dump in the chicken and any juices on the plate. Mix to combine and taste test. Adjust any flavor as needed.