Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 15 votes

Chicken Fajitas

One of the best dinners out there! This easy recipe is made with deliciously seasoned, marinated and pan seared chicken, a trio of fresh bell peppers and tender crisp onions. Easy to make and unbelievably delicious!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs trimmed chicken thighs or chicken breasts*
  • 5 Tbsp light olive oil divided
  • 4 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
  • 3 1/2 tsp minced garlic, divided
  • 2 1/2 tsp chili powder, divided
  • 2 tsp ground cumin, divided
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded for less heat if desired, minced
  • 1 1/4 tsp Salt, more to taste
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 medium bell peppers (preferably 1 red, yellow and green), seeded and sliced
  • 1 medium red onion or yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 8 (7-inch) flour tortillas, warmed, homemade are best if time allows
  • optional toppings, see notes

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium non-reactive mixing bowl (such as glass or stainless steel), whisk together 3 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp garlic, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, jalapeno, salt and pepper.
  2. Add chicken and toss well then submerge down into marinade. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
  3. Preheat a 12-inch cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil then place chicken in skillet leaving space between pieces and cook until well browned of first side about 4 to 6 minutes (chicken thighs take near greater time).
  4. Flip chicken and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 - 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer in center, about 4 to 6 minutes longer (chicken thighs take near greater time). If you find chicken is browning too quickly before cooking through you can reduce burner temperature slightly.
  5. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
  6. Meanwhile, scrape up excess burnt bits from the skillet with a metal spatula if needed (you want some of those browned bits but not a lot of burnt black bits especially if you used thighs and had to cook longer). Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil to same cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat.
  7. Add bell peppers and onions, season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute about 4 minutes, only tossing occasionally and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of pan.
  8. Add remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp garlic and saute until just tender crisp, about 2 minutes longer.** Pour in remaining 1 Tbsp lime juice and toss.
  9. Return chicken to pan, toss in cilantro and serve warm over tortillas with optional toppings.

Notes

  • Topping Ideas (optional)
  • *For chicken breasts you can use 4 (6 oz each) portions or 2 (12 oz each) portions halved through their thickness. Pound thicker areas of chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet to even their thickness. For chicken thighs I recommend using about 4 oz. pieces, just trim the fat no flattening necessary.
  • **If you still have stubborn browned bits at the bottom of the pan you can help release them by pouring in a splash of chicken broth or water, these bits adds lots of flavor to the dish.
  • Nutrition estimate: based on two fajitas per person, using store-bought tortillas (homemade tortillas are about 50 calories extra each), and optional toppings not included.
  • To make them healthier use corn tortillas instead of flour. I like to warm corn tortillas in skillet in a teaspoon of olive oil until lightly golden brown spots appear on each side.
  • Guacamole or sliced avocado
  • Salsa or diced tomatoes
  • Sour cream or Mexican crema
  • Mexican hot sauce (such as Tapatio or Cholula)
  • Cheese - queso fresco, Monterey jack, pepper jack, or cheddar