This Chicken Fajitas Recipe Will Leave You Salivating

Make your own Mexican feast at home with these yummy, easy to make skillet chicken fajitas served with fresh guacamole, salsa, and all the fixings!

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

 

These skillet chicken fajitas are one of my family’s favorite meals. They are not only easy to whip up on the fly, but they can also be made ahead, and any leftovers reheat beautifully. These fajitas are the easiest way I know of to get my kids to eat (and enjoy) peppers and onions:-)

Do you put cheese on chicken fajitas?

I like putting cheese on my chicken fajitas. I think it makes the fajitas a lot better. The mild grated cheese adds more creaminess and flavor to the fajitas.

What to Use When Cooking Chicken Fajitas

Cast iron skillets are my favorite way to cook fajitas. The cast iron, high heat, and sizzling oil work together to give the meat and vegetables flavor and texture that can’t be duplicated in other cooking mediums. I use my 15″ Lodge cast iron skillet for these fajitas. It is the perfect size to accommodate the large amount of chicken and vegetables. This is the largest cast iron that I own, and I use it often. It is perfect for large dishes like fajitas or this shrimp & sausage paleo skillet meal.

How to Cook Chicken Fajitas

Some recipes call for cooking the veggies and chicken together, but I like to cook each separately. I think it is important to get the meat just right (and fully cooked) and follow by cooking the veggies in the same skillet. It only takes about 10 minutes extra to cook these separately, and I think it yields a better end result.

Make ahead: Most prep can be done early in the day. Meat can be placed in the marinade and refrigerated. Veggies can be chopped or sliced and placed in the fridge. When ready to cook, it takes just about half an hour to cook the meal~the meat first, followed by the veggies.

A note on veggies: I made these once using Trader Joe’s frozen red, yellow & green pepper strips and once using fresh peppers that I sliced myself. USE FRESH PEPPERS (and onions). The frozen ones tend to get too soft, and the desired texture for fajitas is crisp-tender.

A note on chicken: I’ve used frozen chicken tenders and fresh. Both work equally well. The frozen tenders will partially thaw while in the fridge marinating. Either way, to ensure that chicken cooks through, I always cover the skillet intermittently with a large baking sheet. This allows heat to “steam” the chicken and cook the insides. I alternately cover and uncover to make sure it is cooked through but also browned and seared on the outside.

Sides: The sides that we serve with this meal add so much yum to this meal, and most of them can be made ahead also. I serve these fajitas with French Onion Cheese Fondue, Chuy’s Inspired Jalapeño Ranch Dip, and Perfect Guacamole in 5 Minutes. All of these with the exception of the guacamole can be made ahead, refrigerated, and reheated just before serving.

This really is a fun meal to serve, and it is a great way to get kids to eat fresh veggies! I’d love to hear from you if you try this, so please leave comments. As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!!!

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

These skillet chicken fajitas are as yummy as anything you'll find in a Mexican restaurant and so very easy to make!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound chicken breast, cut into tenders or strips
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or green)
  • 4TB vegetable oil, divided into 2 TB each
  • 3 TB fresh lime juice
  • 1-1/2 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp Penzey's fajita seasoning (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or 2-3 dashes hot sauce)
  • 8 flour tortillas

Instructions

  1. In ziploc bag, add 2 TB oil, lime juice, seasoned salt, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika & red pepper flakes.
  2. Add chicken tenders/strips to bag; seal and turn bag to coat chicken.
  3. Marinade at least 3 hours or up to 12.
  4. To cook chicken, add 2 TB oil to cast iron skillet; heat to medium high.
  5. Add chicken pieces, allowing them to sear well in hot skillet before turning.
  6. Turn and sear other side of chicken.
  7. Continue cooking chicken until fully cooked, covering skillet occasionally to steam chicken.
  8. When fully cooked, stir chicken well to get final sear and absorb all seasonings.
  9. Remove chicken and cover to keep warm, leaving leftover grease and browned bits in skillet.
  10. Add vegetables to same skillet (add more oil if needed) and heat over medium high.
  11. Let cook 2 minutes before turning; turn, tossing with browned bits and leftover seasonings.
  12. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender and slightly caramelized.
  13. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
  14. Place chicken back in skillet; cover with vegetables.
  15. Heat tortillas on skillet sprayed with Pam until tortillas begin to puff and get light brown spots.
  16. Serve skillet with warm tortillas, cheese, sour cream & guacamole.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 372Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 74mgSodium 748mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 32g

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