Chicken fajitas are a classic Mexican recipe and a personal favorite for an easy, healthy, and flavorful weeknight meal. Juicy chicken breasts are seasoned and seared, then tossed with vibrant vegetables, and finished with a punch of fresh lime juice. And while this is the perfect meal wrapped with tortillas and toppings, I’ve got a few more tasty serving ideas below!
Why Everyone Raves About These Chicken Fajitas
Chicken fajitas are hands-down the item I order most frequently at Mexican restaurants (besides guacamole, of course). There’s just something about the sizzling skillet being brought to the table that gets my taste buds excited! And the good news is that it’s incredibly easy to recreate this fabulous dinner at home. It’s also a fun crowd-pleaser for Taco Tuesday or when I’m hosting a dinner party. But here are a few other things to love about this recipe:
- The homemade fajita seasoning is unmatched. The simple blend of bold spices really elevates the flavor of the dish. I often make a double batch of the fajita seasoning to keep on hand.
- It’s made in less than 30 minutes. From start to finish, it takes very little time to create juicy chicken, tender veggies, and an all-around satisfying meal. That’s why it’s a favorite for easy weeknight dinners.
- It’s great for meal prep. You can store any leftover fajitas in the fridge to enjoy for several days or top the sliced chicken and veggies on salad greens for a lighter lunch.
- You can switch up the proteins. While chicken fajitas are my go-to, I often switch up this recipe and make shrimp fajitas or steak fajitas. Essentially, I’ll happily eat all the different types of fajitas.
Chicken Fajita Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: I’m using boneless skinless chicken breasts. But you could also use chicken thighs for an even juicier option.
- Vegetables: Sliced onion and bell peppers make for a bright and tasty fajita dish. I like to use red, yellow, and green bell peppers for lots of color, but you can choose any color of bell peppers.
- Lime: Grab a fresh lime to squeeze on top at the end. The punch of acidity really makes the dish.
- Fajita seasoning: Skip the pre-made seasoning packets because nothing compares to the flavor of homemade seasonings. Plus, you’ll avoid any unnecessary fillers and additives. You just need a combination of chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Taco additions: A few essentials I love to prepare are my cassava flour tortillas, sour cream, pico de Gallo, and sliced avocados. But I’ll talk through more serving ideas below.
Is it better to use a fajita seasoning or marinade? Both are great options! I have a chicken fajita marinade (from my list of chicken marinades) that can be used for this recipe with delicious results. But the dry rub fajita seasoning flavors the chicken perfectly for an equally delicious and super quick meal.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Chicken Fajitas
Season the chicken. Generously sprinkle the fajita seasoning on both sides of the chicken and use your fingers to press it in.
Sear the chicken. Lightly coat your skillet with oil and sear the chicken breasts on each side for 7 to 8 minutes. Then remove them from the pan and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing them into strips.
Saute the bell peppers and onion. While the chicken is cooking, slice the bell peppers and onions. Then saute them in the same skillet for a few minutes until caramelized. You’re essentially making fajita veggies!
Mix everything and serve. Slice the chicken into thin strips and add them back into the skillet. You can also slice those strips in half again if they’re too thick. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top, and stir everything together before serving.
Ways To Serve Chicken Fajitas
- Make chicken fajita tacos or wraps: This is my favorite way to serve them! Grab a fresh batch of tortillas and prep a few toppings such as sliced avocados or guacamole, red salsa or pico de gallo, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.
- Go light with lettuce wraps. Instead of using tortillas, use butter lettuce to make a lettuce wrap! Then add your favorite taco toppings.
- Make a fajita rice bowl: Make my cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice for a super delicious rice bowl. Then add black beans, sweet corn, cotija cheese, and a drizzle of lime crema or chipotle sauce on top for a flavorful touch.
Common Questions
When it comes to cooking the chicken, a cast iron skillet is ideal for searing. It gives a nice char and maximizes the flavors from the seasoning. Just make sure to season your cast iron properly to prevent sticking. But if you don’t own a cast iron pan, a stainless steel pan will work.
Fajitas are typically cooked in a skillet, but you are more than welcome to grill the chicken! You’ll get a nice smoky flavor, enhancing all those delicious Mexican spices.
Definitely! This is another great way to ensure the seasoning coats all sides of the chicken before it’s thrown onto the skillet. But again, it’s not necessary.
Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the refrigerator the night before, then quickly reheat it in the microwave.
More Easy Mexican Recipes
- Carne Asada: Made with the best marinade for carne asada tacos.
- Birria: Turn this into crispy, cheesy birria tacos.
- Carnitas: A pork lover’s dream.
- Taco soup: Enjoy the best taco flavors in one hearty soup.
- Shrimp Tacos: Paired with a tasty cilantro bacon slaw.
- Huevos Rancheros: The best kind of savory Mexican breakfast.
- Or enjoy these other delicious Mexican recipes!
If you make this chicken fajitas recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Staub Cast Iron Fry Pan My favorite cast iron fry pan for stovetop dishes!
- Zwilling Chef's Knife This is the knife I use in my everyday cooking.
Ingredients
Chicken Fajitas
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 bell peppers , thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lime
Fajita Seasoning
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For Serving
- tortillas
- sour cream
- pico de gallo
- avocado
Instructions
- Make fajita seasoning. Add the fajita seasoning ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir together.
- Season the chicken. Generously sprinkle the fajita seasoning on both sides of the chicken and use your fingers to press it into the chicken.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts for about 7 to 8 minutes on each side.
- Slice the veggies. While your chicken is cooking, cut the bell peppers and onion into thin slices.
- Cook the veggies. Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it to a plate and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Add the bell peppers and onion to the same skillet over medium heat and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Slice the chicken. When the bell peppers are just about done sauteing, slice the chicken breasts into strips. You can slice those pieces in half again for thinner strips of chicken.
- Mix and serve. Add the chicken back into the skillet, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and stir everything together. Serve immediately with tortillas and extra toppings such as sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole.
Lisa’s Tips
- If you’re unsure if your chicken is cooked through, use an instant-read thermometer to see if the internal temperature is 165°F. And since you’ll be letting the chicken rest while cooking the veggies, I recommend taking it out of the pan at around 160°F, as there will be carry-over cooking.
- If you want extra flavoring on your chicken, use my fajita marinade from this chicken marinade post! Plus, these can be frozen and used at a later time.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted February 2020, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
This was a hit at my house tonight. Just added some fresh cilantro. Definitely making it again soon! 😁💕
Fresh cilantro is the cherry on top! Glad it was a hit :)
Delicious and easy!
That’s what the chicken fajitas is all about!
Loved these, simply delicious! The only thing I added was 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon of Splenda brown sugar and reduced the salt to 1/8 teaspoon (out of dietary necessity).
Glad this turned out great with the few adjustments you made Sue!
********** 10 stars!!!!!!!! I don’t like packaged fajita seasoning but wasn’t impressed with the recipe I tried months ago. This is PERFECT! No need to go to the Mexican restaurant; these were the best I’ve ever tasted! Did I say PERFECT?!!!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chicken fajitas, Sue! Homemade fajita seasoning really does make a world of difference. :)
The fajita seasoning was delicious. Made this today so good.
Awesome! So happy you loved it, June!
Made it tonight except I didn’t have a lime :( and I used chicken thighs. My family loved it! I’ll never use store bought packet seasoning again.
Glad your family enjoyed these chicken fajitas Melanie!
LOVE IT !! Perfect Only thing I did different was cook the chicken breasts one one side ,then removed them , cut them into slices and put them back in the pan .It was easier for me to see when the chicken was throughly cooked and I had very thick pieces of chicken breast . Thanks for sharing this ! I also love the fajita seasoning recipe from you .. I have been looking for AWHILE for something like this ..better than restaurant !
Delicious! Never will use packaged fajita mix again!
Homemade fajita seasoning is the best!
This is really simple and delicious. To make sure you chicken is cooked evenly, either pound it or cut to the same thickness.
Another great tip for cooking chicken perfectly Doug!
Thanks for mentioning this, Doug. I was wondering whether or not I should do this. I knew I would find the answer scrolling through the comments. This is an awesome community! Thanks for all you do Lisa!
Made this tonight for first time after googling fajita recipe since I didn’t want to use store packet. It was delicious & my go to fajita recipe from now on! I used tenderloins since that what I had on hand. Delicious!
Happy to hear you loved this chicken fajitas recipe with the homemade seasoning!
After being disappointed with so many fajita recipes that were way too heavy on the lime, I tried this one. Finally, FINALLY I have found the perfect fajita seasoning flavor profile. I have used this multiple times on steak, on chicken, and it is delicious. I even sprung for some Mexican oregano specifically for this seasoning, rather than standard Italian oregano. I do reserve some of the mix to go into the veggies before they are cooked.
Absolute perfection, exactly the flavor profile I want when I crave fajitas
Thrilled to hear you’ve found a winning chicken fajitas recipe Pam!
I made your easy tasty healthy chicken fajitas recipe last night and my family loved it!! I actually made your Fajita seasoning luckily I had all the ingredients. I plan on using more of your healthy recipes and will share with my family and friends! 🤗
Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe Charlie, and thanks so much for sharing :)
My daughter and I made this together along with the pico de gallo. We both LOVED it. So good. I make my own adobo seasoning. So I just used that. Delicious!
Wonderful! Glad both you and your daughter loved this recipe, along with the pico de gallo :)
Would it be okay to bake the chicken cause I’m not comfortable cooking them in the skillet yet, or should I wait until I’m more comfortable with my skills using the skillet? Plus the seasonings requested I’ve used before and sometimes cause a lot of smoke and my apartment has a really sensitive fire alarm.
Easy and delicious. Looking forward to trying the shrimp as an alternative.Martha Mugford
If you loved this recipe, the shrimp fajitas is a must!
Excellent and easy recipe! I used thighs instead of breasts plus I added just under 1/2 teas. Onion Powder. My DH is not a fan of Bell Peppers so I also only used 1 bell pepper.
I personally love using thighs as well :) Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Delicious, Healthy & Quick!
My family and friends love this and ask me to make it often. It doesn’t take long at all; I typically slice the onions and peppers earlier in the day, at which time I also measure and mix the spices. Also buy organic raw chicken strips from Trader Joe’s, which makes coating and sauteing the chicken a breeze. Lastly, I double the spices as they aren’t too spicy yet are flavorful.
Happy to hear both your friends and family love this chicken fajitas recipe!
I don’t save unless it has great ratings. I haven’t even made this yet, and I can’t wait to try it out! It looks very easy and sounds delicious! We LOVE chicken fajitas so this sounds amazing!,
This is such a good recipe! I make it using chicken tenders and it works out great!
Glad you enjoyed this chicken fajitas recipe Rylee :)
This recipe is so easy, and SO good!!! I found it on Pinterest a few months ago and have made it multiple times since. The leftovers are great the next day as well!
Happy to hear you loved this chicken fajitas recipe Betsy :)
The family begs for this dish! Thanks for the easy to watch video!
Glad this recipe is a family winner Dan :)
Tried these fajitas and they came out great! Easier than I thought it was. Simple and delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Glad you loved this recipe Ana! It sure is a weeknight winner :)
I liked the color and health of this recipe. Do you have a trick for the chicken not drying out? That was my only disappointment, as the flavor was nice. Though, I did forget to squeeze the limes, maybe that would have helped! Thanks for these recipes. Oh, and we ate them as lettuce wraps to lower our calorie intake.
Hi Kimberly – I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! If your chicken is a bit dry, it sounds like it was overcooked. You can always reduce the cook time on your next try!
This was soooo delicious! Made exactly as is and the seasonings were perfect and this recipe couldn’t be easier. Ready in no time at all and we loved every bite. I’ll be making this again and again! Thank you so much! 😊
Happy to hear this recipe was a hit! It really is such a snappy yet delicious dinner to keep on hand :)
Very good recipe. I only added a few slices of fresh garden tomato which I cooked down to creat a sauce base. Then I added the seasoned meat and veggies. Just delicious! I will be making it often.
Best recipe for Fajiatas. Made your guacamole and salsa as well with this and I am Mom and wife of the year!!
Glad everyone enjoyed this recipe!
This was so fast, so easy and SO DANG GOOD!! This one will become part of the regular rotation. Thank you for sharing!
Happy to hear this is now in your regular rotation Stephanie :)
Instead of sour cream, which I didn’t have on hand, I topped with ranch dressing very good!
Very tasty 😋 meal. I enjoyed every delicious mouthful of each bite. My family also enjoyed it. Thanks Lisa Bryan🤗!
Of course! Glad both you and your family enjoyed this recipe :)
Fast, easy and delicious! I’ll be making this again!
Happy to hear this was a winner Kelly!
THE best I’ve ever tried. Simple and the flavor is spot on!! Thank you!!
So good! So easy! I do recommend using a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have one, it’s a great investment.
The cast iron skillet definitely does make all the difference for taste!
Tried this today. Very tasty!! Everyone really enjoyed it. Thank you .
Glad these chicken fajitas were a hit Mike!
This was SO delicious 🤤
Thank you!
Of course! Glad you loved this chicken fajita recipe Sierra :)
Your herb rub was amazing! Thank you, it was a great meal!!
Glad you loved the fajita seasoning Marta!
This tastes amazing. My family requests this recipe frequently! Love from India!
Happy to hear this has become a family favorite!
This is uncomman for me as I don’t do public posts outside of my social group!. I am from the UK and needed to slightly adapt the spice content, but the advised measurements were just fine for a hot spice lover like me :). I decided to cut the chicken into thin strips as I have a nice and really sharp knife, which reduced the cooking time.
I printed this to make again! I was in a hurry and didn’t read the directions. I sliced the chicken real thin and mixed it with the lime and seasonings while I got the veggies ready. Very flavorful without having to marinade a long time.
Happy to hear this recipe was a success Deb!
An Awesome recipe! Wife does not like hot & spicey, this was mallow to medium. I use shredded lettuce & grated cheese in our wraps.
Love the idea of adding this into wraps!
Made this rub tonight to put on the chicken for fajitas.. they were gobbled up.. winning! Thanks for the recipe
Glad this fajita recipe was a win!
Just made the fajitas for dinner tonight. They are excellent, and will definitely be in my dinner rotation. Thank you!
Glad these chicken fajitas were a winner :)
I used boneless skinless thighs, with a bit extra salt and pepper….fantastic!
Glad these chicken fajitas turned out perfectly Natalia!
Thank you so much for this recipe! easy & delicious! will definitely be making it again :)
Of course! Can’t beat this recipe for a quick and easy dinner :)
This low calorie, high flavor recipe is exactly what I’m looking for, yum
Can this seasoning be used as a marinade? And can this dish be cooked as a sheet sheet pan meal and baked in the oven?
Yes and yes. :)
Thanks, great recipe, simple , honest and so delicious!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe Kathleen!
This is the best recipe for chicken fajitas out there. My son is a very picky eater and he said he has never had fajitas out to eat as good as these. Thanks for a great recipe! I cook fajitas al least once a week if not more after finding this recipe.
Amazing! Happy to hear your son enjoyed this chicken fajitas recipe :)
This is a great recipe! We loved it and will absolutely be making it over and over again! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed this chicken fajita recipe!
The seasoning is perfection!!
Glad you love this one JoAnn!
This is great !!! The seasoning is outstanding! No need to buy pre made seasoning . Thanks
Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe George!
My favorite!!!!!!
Always a classic!
I’ve never made something myself so delicious and I’m horrible at cooking. Definitely easy to follow step by step for best results!!!
Glad this post was helpful Victoria!
Awesome recipe I love it and will use it often
Glad you enjoyed this one Shar!
Hey, just want to say I made this recipe tonight and it was fantastic. I omitted the salt and brined the chicken instead, but otherwise followed it to the letter. Wonderful!
Amazing! Happy to hear this dinner was a success.