Easy Chicken Fajitas (Printable Version)

Tender chicken with colorful peppers and onions in warm tortillas. Quick 30-minute Tex-Mex classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, sliced

→ Marinade and Seasoning

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
12 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
13 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Juice of 1 lime

→ To Serve

15 - 8 small flour tortillas or corn tortillas
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
17 - Sour cream (optional)
18 - Salsa (optional)
19 - Shredded cheese (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Add sliced chicken and toss thoroughly to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
02 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add a splash of oil to the same pan if needed. Sauté the sliced bell peppers and onion for 4 to 5 minutes until tender with slight charring.
04 - Return the cooked chicken to the pan with the vegetables and toss together for 1 to 2 minutes to combine and heat through.
05 - Heat tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat or warm in a microwave until pliable.
06 - Place chicken and vegetable mixture into warm tortillas. Top with fresh cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheese as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the meal instead of scrubbing dishes.
  • The smoky, tangy marinade does all the heavy lifting, turning basic chicken into something that tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
  • You can prep the vegetables and marinade ahead, making weeknight dinners feel less like a scramble and more like a plan.
02 -
  • Slice the chicken thin and against the grain, or it will turn chewy no matter how well you cook it.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken, or it will steam instead of sear and you'll miss out on those caramelized edges.
  • Let the peppers char slightly before stirring them, that smokiness is what makes fajitas taste like fajitas instead of just sautéed chicken.
03 -
  • Marinate the chicken for up to an hour if you have the time, the flavor goes deeper and the texture gets even more tender.
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it holds heat better and gives you those restaurant-style char marks without a grill.
  • Taste a piece of pepper halfway through cooking, if it's still too crunchy, cover the pan for a minute to steam them just enough.
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