This Chicken Fajitas recipe has been a huge favorite in our house for years. It’s so easy to make and the best part is the chicken marinade does most of the work. Boneless chicken breasts are cut into strips then added to a super flavorful marinade before being cooked in a hot skillet. The peppers and onions soak up the pan drippings and the entire meal comes together in hardly no time!
This is the BEST chicken fajita recipe I have ever made - it has so much flavor. It is now a family favorite and often requested by my family. My adult kids now make it for their friends.
Marilyn
Ingredients and The Marinade
The ingredients for chicken fajitas are fairly simple, but most of the flavor comes from the marinade!
- Chicken Breasts: I like using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for my fajitas, but you can certainly use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
- Peppers and Onions: I use a mix of red and green bell peppers and a yellow onion for the vegetables. You can really choose any color bell peppers that you like.
- The Marinade: This chicken fajita marinade is really a game changer! To make it I combine olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, garlic, fresh cilantro, and spices including ground cumin, chili powder and Adobo seasoning. It makes just enough to coat all of the chicken, but feel free to make a little bit more if you want.😉
How To Make Chicken Fajitas
Start with making the fajita marinade. Then slice the chicken breasts into strips and add it to the marinade. Marinate in your refrigerator for 30 min-1 hour.
Slice the bell peppers and onion into strips and set aside.
This is totally optional, but I also used this time to make a quick cilantro lime crema to use as a sauce.
Now cook the chicken until golden and cooked through then remove it to a separate plate.
Add the peppers and onions to the same skillet and sauté until they are tender but still slightly crisp.
Combine the chicken and veggies in the same skillet and sauté for 1 more minute to heat through. Serve with tortillas and enjoy!
Cooking Tip!
Be careful not to overcook the chicken so it stays tender and juicy! Since the chicken is cut into smaller strips it will only take roughly 2-3 minutes on each side to cook all the way through. As always a digital meat thermometer is your friend. You want the internal temperature of the chicken to be right at 165°F.
Sauce and Toppings
This is optional, but since you already have most of the ingredients, I suggest making a Cilantro Lime Crema to add as a light sauce on top of your fajitas. It takes it to another level! And of course other popular fajita toppings include shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced avocado, extra lime wedges, sour cream, and salsa!
And if you really want a hands off experience try making these Sheet Pan Fajitas next!
Chicken Fajitas Recipe
Ingredients
Fajita Marinade
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or pressed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons Adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
Chicken Fajitas
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs.)
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon water
- Flour tortilla shells
Instructions
- Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a medium size bowl or shallow dish and mix together well. Set the dish to the side.
- Next cut the chicken breasts into thin strips. I like to start by pounding the breasts with a meat pounder to get an even thickness. Then I slice the chicken into roughly ¼-inch strips.
- Add the chicken strips to the marinade and toss making sure all the chicken is evenly coated. Cover with foil or a lid and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- While the chicken is marinating, slice the green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and yellow onion into strips.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken strips to the skillet along with all the marinade and sauté for roughly 3 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the second side. Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a separate plate. Cover with foil to keep it warm.
- Lower the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the sliced bell peppers and onions along with 1 tablespoon of water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any pan drippings leftover from the chicken. Sauté the veggies for 3-5 minutes until they are tender but still slightly crisp.
- Now add the chicken back to the skillet and mix with the veggies. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Serve these chicken fajitas with warmed tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Don’t skip the marinade! The marinade is key to making these fajitas taste amazing.
- Use fresh lime juice and fresh garlic in the marinade. It gives it a better flavor and really makes a difference.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in July 2020. It has been completely updated and refreshed with new photos and information.
Marilyn says
This is the BEST chicken fajita recipe I have ever made- it has so much flavor. It is now a family favorite and often requested by my family. My adult kids now make it for their friends and it has become our go to party recipe. Perfect!! I do double the marinade. I know Marsha says it is enough but we love the marinade so much that we want to be sure there is plenty when also cooking up the veggies.
Marsha says
Yay! I'm so glad you love this recipe. It's so good and yes it really does have a ton of flavor. One of my favorites for sure!!