Chicken Fajita Recipe
Chicken Fajitas - delicious and flavorful chicken fajita recipe with marinade and optional creamy cilantro lime sauce! The BEST chicken fajitas!
Ingredients
Fajita Chicken:
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika smoked paprika, if you can find it
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder smoked garlic powder, if you can find it
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- optional 1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chicken tenders
Fajita Veggies:
- 2-3 tablespoons chicken broth more if needed
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion sliced
- 3 bell peppers red, green, orange, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
- additional kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Other Fajita Toppings and Serving Suggestions:
- tortillas of your choice warmed
- cilantro lime sauce
- guacamole or avocado chunks
- grilled corn
- corn salsa
- sour cream
- lime wedges
- cotija cheese crumbled
- fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper - pressing the salt and pepper into the meat. Place chicken in a large reusable silicone bag or glass baking dish and set aside.
- Marinate Chicken: Add chili powder, kosher salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, pepper, lime juice, olive oil, and fresh cilantro (if using) to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring it is fully coated. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
- Cook Chicken: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add a oil, swirl to coat the pan. Remove chicken from marinade letting excess marinade drip off; discard leftover marinade. Place chicken in the pan and sear 8-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 160 degrees F. (use an internal meat thermometer for accuracy) - during the cooking process turn down the heat, as-needed, if your skillet really gets hot and/or add a little extra oil if the pan is dry - to avoid burning. Squeeze fresh lime juice over chicken and stir. Remove from skillet and let the chicken rest on a plate while you cook the veggies.
- Cook Veggies: Keeping pan at medium high heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of chicken broth to deglaze the pan - use a spatula to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and move around pan until it becomes fragrant, approx. 1 minute. Add onion, bell peppers, and the fajita seasoning. Stir to combine. Add additional broth or olive oil to pan if you feel it is getting a bit dry.
- Finish Veggies: Sauté for approx. 10-15 minutes or until the peppers have reached your desired doneness (cook shorter for a more firm, but tender pepper - longer for a softer pepper). Taste and add any additional salt or pepper, to taste.
- Add Chicken: Return the chicken back to the skillet, along with any juices that have gathered. Stir to combine. Taste and add any additional fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro or salt - as needed.
- Serve: Serve on warm tortillas with the fajita veggies, cilantro lime sauce, corn salsa and any other toppings you desire!
Notes
- Chicken Options: if you don't want to use chicken breast - chicken thighs could also be used.
- Storage: place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. We recommend storing the meat, veggies, sauce, salsa, etc., each in a separate container to make reheating easier the next day and to prevent sogginess.
- Next Level: we HAVE to give a shout out to this Cilantro Lime Sauce - it is just what you need to take a classic Chicken Fajita Recipe and bring it to the next level. We use it on our Steak Fajitas and everyone LOVES it!
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