Description
This best chicken fajitas recipe delivers sizzling, restaurant-quality fajitas with tender marinated chicken, caramelized peppers and onions, all cooked to perfection in one skillet. Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings for an impressive, interactive meal that’s ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken and Marinade:
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2–3 limes)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Cooking:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into thick strips
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange preferred), sliced into thick strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Serving:
- 8–12 warm flour or corn tortillas
- Optional toppings: guacamole, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, pico de gallo, lettuce, diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and place on a cutting board. Slice against the grain into thin strips about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Cutting against the grain shortens muscle fibers, resulting in more tender fajitas. If chicken pieces are particularly thick, place between plastic wrap and gently pound to even thickness before slicing.
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together fresh lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. The mixture should be well combined with no lumps of spices. Taste and adjust seasonings – the marinade should be flavorful and balanced between citrus, garlic, and warm spices.
- Marinate the chicken. Place sliced chicken in a shallow baking dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over it, making sure every piece is coated. If using a bag, press out excess air and seal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-4 hours, allowing the lime juice to tenderize the chicken and spices to penetrate the meat. You can marinate up to overnight if making ahead.
- Prepare the vegetables. Slice the yellow onion into thick strips about ½-inch wide. Slice bell peppers into thick strips, removing seeds and white pith. Cut peppers into strips similar in size to the onion pieces so everything cooks at the same rate and presents uniformly on the plate. Having vegetables prepped and ready makes the actual cooking process quick and easy.
- Heat your skillet. Place a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Let it preheat for 2-3 minutes until very hot – this is essential for creating the sizzle and getting a good sear on the chicken. You can test if the pan is ready by sprinkling a tiny drop of water on it; it should sizzle immediately and evaporate.
- Cook the chicken. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve any leftover marinade) and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the chicken brown rather than steam. Working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, place chicken in the hot skillet. Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until it develops a golden brown color on the bottom, then stir and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate.
- Add vegetables to the same skillet. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the hot skillet. Add onion strips and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges begin to caramelize and soften. Add bell pepper strips and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peppers are just tender-crisp but still have some color and texture.
- Combine chicken and vegetables. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the vegetables. If you have reserved marinade, drizzle it over everything and stir well to combine. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until everything is hot and flavors meld together. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Transfer to serving skillet. For maximum presentation impact, carefully transfer the sizzling mixture to a hot cast iron skillet at the table, or serve directly from the cooking skillet. The theatrical sizzle and aroma add to the dining experience and let everyone know something delicious is arriving.
- Serve with tortillas and toppings. Warm tortillas in a skillet or microwave wrapped in a damp towel to keep them pliable. Arrange warm tortillas on the table alongside the sizzling chicken and vegetables. Let each person assemble their own fajitas by placing some chicken-vegetable mixture on a warm tortilla, adding their preferred toppings, rolling up, and enjoying immediately while everything is hot.
Notes
- Make ahead strategy – Prepare the marinade and slice the chicken the morning of, then keep them together in the refrigerator until cooking time
- Vegetable prep ahead – Slice peppers and onions up to 4 hours ahead and store in an airtight container
- Tortilla warming – Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds, or heat one at a time in a dry skillet
- Cast iron tradition – The presentation of sizzling fajitas on cast iron is iconic; if you have a cast iron skillet, definitely use it for maximum impact
- Temperature control – High heat creates the sizzle and brown color; don’t lower temperature or you’ll get steamed instead of seared chicken
- Don’t overcrowd – Cook chicken in batches if needed; crowded pan creates steam rather than sear
- Leftover magic – Refrigerated fajitas become amazing quesadillas, rice bowls, nachos, or salad toppers the next day
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating)
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 fajitas (approximately 1 cup filling without tortillas and toppings)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg