This wildly flavorful recipe for healthy Chicken Fajitas is a weeknight life-saver! Season chicken breast, bell peppers and onions with a homemade fajita spice mix, fresh lime juice, and olive oil, then sear on a skillet (or grill if it’s warm!) to charred perfection. Pile ‘em into warm tortillas, load up the toppings, and boom—dinner’s done in about 35 minutes!
Say hello to the quick and delish dinner recipe we make on repeat in the hummus household! Based on my delish portobello fajitas (the veggie sister of today’s recipe), it’s super colorful, boldly spiced just how I like it, and so fun to serve to a crowd.
Even when that crowd is just my fam, we’re obsessed with the bold Tex Mex flavors of these chicken fajitas.
Plus they’re packed with protein for a super filling dinner that makes even tastier leftovers. Is there even a better protein, veg, and a carb combo out there?! I think not.
The secret? Seasoning the chicken and veg.
Here’s where my big aha moment came in recipe development!
- When you season the peppers and onions (versus just the chicken), the whole dish has an elevated level of irresistible flavor. Legit a party in your mouth! It gets tricky because this takes a bit longer but trust me, it’s worth it.
- A lot of chicken fajitas recipes call for cooking the veggies for only 5 minutes or so, resulting in really crisp peppers, but I cook my veggies longer so they’re more tender and flavorful, too.
- Bonus: they get more charred that way, too! A more extensive veg sear makes this recipe a boatload more crave-worthy, in my opinion.
Let’s make ’em!
Behind the scenes of recipe testing (my expert tips!)
- Grilling vs stovetop: During recipe development, I wanted to make sure these tasted bangin’ both on the skillet and the grill so I tested both ways. The grill lends a smokier flavor that I actually prefer, but the skillet is a more approachable option that will not disappoint. Baking, in my opinion, is the least flavorful option—sheet pan fajitas don’t get that high heat sear and browning which means less yum factor.
- Acid (fresh lime juice) matters: Don’t skimp on the lime (and for the love of God, please use fresh). It’s my secret weapon for flavor! I recipe tested without the lime juice and they didn’t have that bright flavor pop that really makes the chicken and veggies sing. And dance.
- Gimme the homemade seasoning, and lots of it: When I developed this recipe I knew I wanted to use my own spice blend because I like to dial up the spices and store-bought is always a let down. Bold flavor, baby! You’ll notice this recipe calls for more of each spice; and I promise that’s by design.
It’s sizzlin’ fajita time, baby!
Skillet Chicken Fajitas (Better Than Takeout!)
-
Prep Time:
15 minutes -
Cook Time:
22 minutes -
Total Time:
37 minutes -
Yield:
6 servings 1x -
Category:
Main Meals -
Method:
Stovetop -
Cuisine:
Mexican -
Diet:
Gluten Free
Description
This flavorful recipe for Chicken Fajitas is a weeknight life-saver! Season chicken breast, bell peppers and onions with a homemade fajita spice mix, lime juice, and olive oil, then sear on a skillet (or grill if it’s warm!) to charred perfection. Pile ‘em into warm tortillas, load up the toppings, and boom—dinner’s done in about 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
- Place chopped veggies in a large mixing bowl. Place butterflied chicken in a separate mixing bowl.
- Mix chili powder, garlic, powder, salt, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- To the bowl with the chicken, add 3 tbsp of the spice mix, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, and 2 tbsp of the lime juice. Toss well to combine (I use gloved hands). This can be done a day in advance!
- To the bowl with veggies add remaining spice mix, olive oil, and lime juice (1-2 tbsp). Toss well to combine.
- To cook on a skillet: Warm 1 tbsp oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, sear for 6 minutes per side (or longer if it’t not butterflied, internal temp should 165F). Transfer chicken to a large plate to rest. Cook peppers and onions in the same pan for about 10 minutes or longer, stirring often, until tender to your liking.
- To grill: Preheat grill to 450F. Place large cast iron skillet on grill to preheat. Once hot, add peppers and onions to skillet and cook, stirring halfway, for 10 minutes. Then add chicken to grill while peppers continue to cook. Cook chicken for 6-8 minutes then flip and cook for another 5 min or until cooked to 165F.
- Once chicken has rested for 5 minutes, you can thinly slice. Serve chicken and veggies in tortillas with cheese, guac, lettuce, sour cream or yogurt, and salsa! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
*You can leave chicken breasts whole if you prefer not to butterfly; but I find them more flavorful and tender this way. If not butterflying, I recommend pounding them to tenderize.
Make ahead instructions: Marinate the chicken in step 3 up to 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Let sit at room temp for 30 minutes before cooking.
