Best Easy Mexican Chicken Fajitas

Name: Chicken Fajita
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pound of skinless and boneless chicken thigh; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; 2 sliced avocado; 1 clove of minced garlic; 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice; 1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin; 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro (coriander); 3 large bell pepper; 1 thinly sliced red onion; 1 teaspoon of chili powder; 1 teaspoon of salt

This saucy chicken fajita recipe is literally the best thing ever! It's nutritionally balanced with juicy chicken and crispy peppers and super easy to whip up whenever pressed for time!

Mexican Cuisine

August 17, 2021

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4 people

Preparation 10 mins

Cooking 15 mins

Total 25 mins

Recipe Contents

Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound of skinless and boneless chicken thigh
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 sliced avocado
1 clove of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro (coriander)
3 large bell pepper
1 thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of salt

Directions

Combine freshly squeezed lime juice, oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, ground chili, and fresh chopped cilantro in a large shallow bowl and mix.
Add the skinless and boneless chicken thighs to this mix of herbs and spices and marinate for about 30 minutes (you can skip the marination if pressed for time).
Place a large skillet or pan (about 12 inches) on the stove over medium heat and heat it until smoking before adding a drizzle of olive oil.
Add the chicken thighs to this hot and oiled pan and sear both sides until nicely charred, golden, and completely cooked through (this will take about 8 minutes per side or more depending on the thickness of the fillets).
Transfer the cooked and grilled chicken thighs to a warm plate and wrap them loosely with some foil.
Add the cut onions and peppers to the same skillet or pan (drizzle extra oil if needed) and cook until the peppers are a little charred but cooked through and the onions have become nice and soft.
Season the cooled peppers and onions with salt and ground pepper and remove the cooked chicken fillets from the foil to cut into appropriately sized strips.
Toss the chicken and vegetables together and garnish your easy chicken fajita with avocado slices and chopped cilantro.
Serve it hot and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Chicken Fajita

Serves 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories480

% Daily Value*

Protein 36 g72%

Total Fat 29 g37.2%

Cholesterol 161 mg53.7%

Sodium 351 mg15.3%

Potassium 217 mg4.6%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

Make this chicken fajita recipe with three differently colored bell peppers or capsicums for the best visual impact. You can use green, red, yellow, orange, or any other colors you can find at your local store.
Cook the boneless and skinless thighs whole until completely cooked through, and let them rest before cutting them into strips. This will guarantee juicy chicken thighs while cooking them as strips is likely to dry them out.
Use a cast iron skillet to sear the chicken for best results. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use a nonstick pan but make sure to get it hot before adding the chicken.
To prevent the meat from sticking to the base, remember to season the chicken properly and thoroughly before adding it to the cast iron skillet.
This chicken fajita recipe can be made with both chicken thighs and breasts, although thighs generally give juicier results. Feel free to use either based on personal preference.
Avoid using store-bought fajita seasoning packets for this easy chicken fajita. Homemade fajita seasoning gives much better results and takes only a handful of extra ingredients. Not to mention you can adjust the taste when you make the seasoning yourself.
When adding oil to the cast iron skillet or pan to sear the chicken, don't overdo it. Instead, add just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet or pan.
Flip the chicken thigh fillets at least a couple of times while searing to ensure they cook and char evenly.
To convert this recipe into a vegetarian fajita recipe, substitute chicken thighs with portobello mushrooms and sauté the mushroom slices with peppers and onions over medium-high heat.
Want to make your chicken fajita in the oven? Cut the chicken into strips and add to an oiled baking sheet along with the cut bell peppers and onions. Toss with oil and spice mix and bake for about 25 minutes at 425°F before adding cilantro and lime juice to these sheet pan chicken fajitas.
This chicken fajita recipe is versatile, so feel free to try variations with beef, pork, and other vegetables. You can even use it to make easy and quick chicken fajita casseroles.

Rate This Recipe

Easy chicken fajita is pretty much everyone’s all-time favorite Texan-Mexican food. It’s healthy, easy to make, tastes delicious, and looks way too good for something that only takes 25 minutes to make.

It's also incredibly versatile and involves minimum cleanup and prep, making it the perfect low-effort weeknight dinner that still looks and tastes amazing.

Equipment for this recipe

Measuring Cup

Wooden Spoon

Frying Pan

Mixing Bowls

What Is Fajita?

Fajita's history stretches back to the 1970s when they first appeared on the menu of Tex-Mex restaurant, Ninfa’s. They are a spicy and flavorful Texan-Mexican dish consisting of grilled strips of marinated meat and sautéed strips of peppers and onions. The meat can be of any kind like beef, chicken, stew meat, shrimp, or pork and vegetarian fajitas are also popular.

How to Cut Onions for Fajitas?

This chicken fajita recipe requires the onions to be sliced into thin strips. To do this, cut the top end of the onion off with a sharp knife and peel the skin. Slice the onion in half after peeling and cut each half lengthwise along the onion's natural grain for long thin strips.

How to Season Chicken for Fajitas?

Make a mixture of 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 large clove of minced garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground chili, and 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro in a large shallow bowl and use this to season the chicken for spicy and juicy chicken fajitas.

What to Serve with Chicken Fajita?

Serve this grilled chicken fajita with Mexican rice, black beans, warm tortillas, Spanish rice, quinoa, grilled avocados, Mexican-style corn on the cob, salad, refried beans, or roasted potatoes. Top with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and cheeses like Mexican blend, cheddar, and Monterey Jack.

Here are some of our delicious recipes that you can serve with Chicken Fajita:

Recipe byPetite Gourmets