Why You’ll Love This these Homemade Chicken Fajitas
These chicken fajitas are ridiculously simple to make, which means even on your most chaotic weeknight, you can still pull together something that tastes like it came from your favorite Mexican restaurant.
The marinade does all the heavy lifting here – just dump everything in a bowl, let the chicken soak up those bold flavors, and you’re halfway to dinner without breaking a sweat.
Plus, everyone gets to build their own perfect fajita with all the fixings, so you won’t hear any complaints about onions or peppers from the picky eaters at your table.
Ingredients List
The beauty of chicken fajitas lies in their simplicity – you probably have most of these ingredients hanging out in your pantry right now.
- 3/4 lb chicken (or steak if you’re feeling fancy)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1 medium onion
- 2 small sweet peppers (green or red)
A Few Ingredient Notes:
- You can swap that garlic clove for 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder if you’re in a rush or forgot to buy fresh garlic again
- The veggies are totally optional, so don’t stress if your pepper drawer looks sad
- Lean chicken breast keeps things on the lighter side, while the olive oil adds heart-healthy fats
- Those spices pack flavor without loading up on sodium like store-bought seasoning packets tend to do
- Don’t forget your favorite toppings: salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped tomatoes make everything better
Step by Step Directions
Getting perfectly seasoned, restaurant-quality chicken fajitas at home is easier than you think when you follow these simple steps.
- Prep the chicken: Slice the meat into thin strips for even cooking and better flavor absorption.
- Make the marinade: In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, hot pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt.
- Marinate the meat: Add chicken strips to the marinade and stir to coat well, then let sit to absorb flavors (overnight in the fridge works best).
- Prep the vegetables: Chop the onion and sweet peppers into strips.
- Cook the vegetables: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the veggie strips, and sauté until well done, then remove from skillet.
- Cook the chicken: Add the marinated chicken to the same skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until no longer pink.
- Combine and finish: Add the cooked vegetables back to the skillet with the chicken and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately with warm flour tortillas and your favorite toppings like salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped tomatoes.
For an even more authentic restaurant experience, consider cooking your fajitas on a cast iron grill which provides superior heat retention and creates those coveted sear marks.
Substitutions and Variations
- Citrus variations: No lime juice? Lemon works just fine, or you could get fancy with orange juice for a slightly sweeter marinade that’s surprisingly delicious.
- Spice blend shortcuts: Feel free to use a packet of fajita seasoning instead of mixing your own spices – sometimes convenience wins, and that’s perfectly okay.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
These fajitas practically beg for all the classic Mexican sides that make your dinner table look like a fiesta spread.
- Mexican rice – Because plain rice feels lonely next to all those bold fajita flavors, and the cilantro-lime version makes everything taste more authentic.
- Refried beans or black beans – They’re creamy, they’re filling, and they soak up any extra marinade that might escape your tortilla.
- Fresh guacamole – Store-bought works fine, but if you’re feeling ambitious, mash up some avocados with lime juice and call it homemade.
- Chips and salsa – For the inevitable pre-dinner snacking that happens while you’re cooking, plus extra salsa never hurt anyone.
- Mexican street corn (elote) – Grilled corn with mayo, cheese, and chili powder sounds weird but tastes like summer vacation.
- Simple side salad – Something fresh and crunchy to balance out all that sizzling, seasoned goodness.
- Cilantro-lime rice – Yes, I mentioned rice twice, but this version deserves its own spotlight because it’s that good.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
After making fajitas more times than I care to count, I’ve learned a few tricks that’ll save you from the mistakes that turn perfectly good chicken into rubber bands.
- Don’t skip the marinating time – Even 30 minutes makes a difference, but overnight in the fridge turns ordinary chicken into something that actually tastes like it came from a restaurant.
- Get your pan smoking hot before adding the meat – We’re talking about that moment when you question whether you’re cooking or accidentally starting a small fire, because that’s when the magic happens.
- Cook the chicken in batches if you’re doubling the recipe – Crowded pans create steam, and steamed chicken fajitas sound about as appetizing as soggy cereal.
- Let the meat rest for a few minutes after cooking – I know you’re hungry, but those juices need time to redistribute instead of running all over your cutting board.
- Warm your tortillas properly – Toss them directly over a gas flame for a few seconds, or wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 20 seconds, because cold tortillas are basically edible cardboard.
- Slice everything uniformly – Your peppers and onions should be roughly the same thickness as your chicken strips, otherwise some pieces finish cooking while others are still getting acquainted with the heat.
- Save some marinade separately before adding raw chicken – You’ll thank me when you want to drizzle extra flavor on top without worrying about food safety.
Nutritional Facts
These chicken fajitas pack a nutritious punch while keeping calories reasonable, making them a smart choice for weeknight dinners.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 320-350 calories (based on 4 servings)
- Protein powerhouse: Each serving delivers 28-30 grams of lean protein from the chicken
- Carbohydrates: 25-30 grams primarily from the flour tortillas
- Healthy fats: 12-15 grams, mostly from olive oil and any added toppings like cheese or sour cream
- Fiber boost: 3-4 grams from the vegetables and tortillas
- Sodium content: 480-520mg per serving (watch your toppings to keep it reasonable)
- Vitamin C: Bell peppers provide over 100% of your daily vitamin C needs
- Iron source: Chicken contributes about 8% of daily iron requirements
- Low sugar: Only 4-6 grams of natural sugars from the vegetables
- Calcium: Ranges from 80-120mg depending on cheese and sour cream additions
- Heart-healthy: The olive oil provides monounsaturated fats that support cardiovascular health
- Customizable nutrition: Skip high-calorie toppings and load up on fresh salsa and vegetables to keep it lighter
Fun “Did You Know?”
While chicken fajitas have become a Tex-Mex staple, they weren’t originally made with chicken at all!
I find it fascinating that fajitas started with skirt steak in the 1930s when Mexican ranch workers in Texas received tough cuts as partial payment. They’d grill the meat over open fires and wrap it in flour tortillas.
The word “fajita” actually comes from “faja,” meaning belt or girdle, referring to the skirt steak’s location on the cow.
Chicken fajitas didn’t appear until restaurants popularized the dish in the 1980s, making it more accessible and affordable for everyone.
