I thought Chicken Fajitas were nothing but a sizzly showman at the Mexican restaurant: WAY overrated with their steamy smoky cast iron entrance. (Like, get over yourself already.) Then I tried making a recipe at home with my own marinade. Whoa! Tender juicy blackened chicken, partying in your tortilla with perfectly cooked peppers and onions, a big scoop of Guacamole and a side of Cilantro Lime Rice. I didn’t even like fajitas, now I’m going to run away with them (we’re never coming back!) I will show you just how to make them!
Table of Contents
- The chicken fajitas that changed my mind
- Chicken fajita marinade
- Ingredients for my easy chicken fajita recipe
- How to make chicken fajitas
- How to cook chicken fajitas on the stove
- What do you put on fajitas?
- What’s good to serve with fajitas?
- How to store chicken fajitas
- Chicken fajitas frequently asked questions
- Tools to make Fajitas
- More delicious Mexican food
- The Chicken Fajitas Recipe That Changed My Mind Recipe
“On one of my tests making these fajitas, half of the chicken ended up slightly blackened; the second half was quite charred. I separated the batches on the cutting board because I knew some of my kids would want to avoid the overly-charred bits.
My son Hyrum came into the kitchen while I was already at the table. I called over, “Hey son, the fajitas on the left are a lot charred; the fajitas on the right are a little charred.”
Hyrum (disappointed): “Oh, really? So my best option is a little charred? I love fajitas but I REALLY don’t like charred.”
“Are you sure?” I said. (This is a new level of picky, even for him.)
“Yes. I’ve tried to eat charred when you’ve made it before and it’s just like…why would you put that in fajitas??”
That’s when I realized he was saying “chard,” not “charred.” He thought I put SWISS CHARD, the vegetable, in all the fajitas. One of his favorite meals ever, ruined by a bitter vegetable he hates. Oh cruel world!!”
I’d be mad too if someone put Swiss chard in my fajitas, not gonna lie. This story made me crack up, it’s from my best friend Sarah! (I have never cooked with Swiss chard, not having reached that Level of Vegetable yet.)
Sarah has been my closest friend since our college days, when all our roommates would take a night cooking dinner for everyone. Sarah would make something normal and delicious, and I would make something atrocious. One time I found a recipe called “Quick, Cheap, and Easy Casserole” that involved hot dogs, a can of baked beans, and frozen peas. (I’m not making this up. When I say charlatan, I MEAN CHARLATAN. These are my roots folks.)
But not Sarah. She was born with the good-food gene. She came on to The Food Charlatan team last year as my project manager, and now she is diving in to help me with some recipe development, so that we can get you guys more recipes even faster.
Sarah tested these fajitas a bunch of times, no chard in sight, and then I made it and photographed it (tweaked it a smidge), FELL IN LOVE, and here we are! Sarah knows what’s up, these fajitas are fire.
The chicken fajitas that changed my mind
Fajitas are a tough sell for me, even when there is no Swiss chard in sight. Mostly-raw peppers and onions, tossed with slightly limey but mostly flavorless chicken? Even the sizzling-steaming-skillet-show couldn’t entice me. (Also, no cheese in sight. Come on Mexico, throw me a bone here.)
But then we discovered the magic of the marinade. Taking all the normal fajita ingredients and letting them have a good soak together for a hot minute changes everything.
And it doesn’t even take that long, we’re kind of faking it here with a 15 minute marinade. I promise, this whole meal is done in like 45 minutes tops; prep time is fast, cook time is fast. And your house will smell like a Mexican restaurant. You even get to throw onions and peppers into a pan that will SIZZLE LIKE A BOSS.
And about the cheese situation: we are breaking all the rules guys. Sarah came up with this idea that’s even better than just sprinkling cheese on top: she warms each tortilla flat in a pan, sprinkling it with shredded cheese so it melts. LIKE A FREAKIN QUESADILLA. (Has quesabirria hit your neighborhood yet? Bless you, California. The rest of the world is finally catching on to the wrapping-in-cheese-phenomenon.)
The last element to put these fajitas over the top: Top with absurd amounts of Guacamole, then drizzle with Chipotle Mayo. I’ve been dipping my entire life in this stuff lately, no joke. I made a huge batch for these Breakfast Burritos, and it’s been my daily snack ever since. Tacos? yeah. Chips? yeah. Dip with a finger? still yeah. It is SO amazing on these fajitas.
Chicken fajita marinade
So what’s in the magic sauce? Fajita marinade, at its simplest, has only a few ingredients: lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and salt. But there are a few extras that take this marinade from ‘okay’ to ‘hot dang!’
- smoked paprika and liquid smoke to give it that just-grilled flavor
- Cayenne pepper for a little extra heat
- Soy sauce gives this marinade a rich umami taste while letting the other flavors shine
- and of course garlic and cilantro. It’s not Mexican food without those guys.
Ingredients for my easy chicken fajita recipe
Here’s a quick list of basic ingredients you need to make these chicken fajitas. Scroll down to the recipe card below for all the deets!
- Chicken thighs (or chicken breasts is fine)
- spices for the marinade
- Limes
- Garlic
- Liquid smoke
- soy sauce
- kosher salt
- Bell peppers (red, orange, and/or yellow)
- Yellow onion
- Flour tortillas
- Cilantro
- Jack, Manchego, or Oaxaca cheese (optional but kind of not?? sooooo good!)
How to make chicken fajitas
Let’s get cooking. The first step is to cut chicken for the marinade. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are too thick, so we need to slice them horizontally to make two thinner pieces. Apparently these are called “chicken cutlets” and I had no idea. I was reading through Sarah’s draft recipe and it said ‘slice into cutlets’ so I sliced them into strips, like an idiot. 🤦♀️
But here’s how you do it. I actually use this method all the time and just didn’t know there was a name for it (like in my Chicken Alfredo recipe). It’s much easier to pan-sear chicken breasts that are an even thickness all the way across, rather than ones that are all breast-y on one side, if you know what I mean.
When using boneless skinless chicken thighs (which is my preference) I like to cut the chicken into strips before cooking, so they cook more evenly. They don’t need to be super thin strips, like an inch is fine. I’ve got details in the notes of the recipe!
Whichever way you want to slice it, get your chicken in a bowl and start tossing in all the marinade ingredients. In the picture above I’m adding liquid smoke, which is how were are cheating to get that grill flavor! Love this stuff.
Now chop up some cilantro. I’m always amazed when people come to my house for Taco nights and I ask them to chop cilantro and they’re like “how.” Well, here’s how.
Hold the stems and use a knife spread the leaves outward, then cut away from the stems with your knife slanted. (Pretend my hand is holding onto the stems…seriously need to invest in a tripod. Or grow a third hand??)
Then bunch the leaves up in your fingers and chop finely. The nice thing about cilantro is that the stems are very flavorful and delicious, so if you get a few stems in that’s fine! (Parsley, which looks so similar to cilantro, has super bitter stems, so you need to be more careful. But cilantro is easy.)
Okay here is our finished marinade. Let that sit for at least 15 minutes. (Or chill covered for up to 24 hours!)
How to cook chicken fajitas on the stove
While you wait, prep your veggies so they are all ready to go. Here’s how I like to cut my peppers. Have you tried this method?
I think it’s so much easier than trying to cut a hole around the top of the stem.
I hate having to gnaw through huge pieces in my fajitas, so I cut my peppers in half so they are more bite sized.
And don’t forget the onions. We tried these fajitas with both red and yellow onions. Yellow was the winner, hands down. The flavor is simpler and didn’t compete with the marinade.
Slice them thin, I prefer about 1/4 inch slice. Bust out your onion goggles if you’re a cryer! I have to do this every time! And now that my skin doesn’t bounce back anymore, I look like a raccoon for hours. It’s the price I pay for fajitas. That’s true love right there guys.
Now it’s time to sear the heck out of this chicken! Crank the heat up to medium high heat. The method is the same whether your chicken is in cutlets, whole thighs, or strips. You just have to cook a little longer and maneuver the heat a little more frequently if you do bigger pieces.
Here is the test where I sliced into strips before cooking. I prefer this method because you get more blackened edges (MORE CHARD!! 😂) and it cooks fast. (But you have to do more batches this way).
Tent the chicken with foil while you cook the veggies. I actually usually stick it in my turned-off microwave, does anyone else do this or am I a weirdo?
Slice the chicken against the grain after it has rested a while, if necessary.
Now it’s time to cook those peppers and onions.
Don’t be scared of all the blackened bits! They add so much flavor. (BUT DON’T ADD ANY CHARD! Is this joke getting old 😂)
And don’t forget to add the remaining chicken marinade to your peppers. Tons of flavor there that we can’t miss!
Now that everything is finished, get ready to serve. Since you’re cooking your chicken and veggies separately, you have the option to serve them separately or you can add the chicken back in and serve them together.
Grab your flour tortillas (skip the corn tortillas for these, you guys. NOT as good, trust.)
Do you eat cheese on fajitas?
I mean, call up Mexico and ask. They will say no. But call me up? Oh yeah. My favorite cheeses to use are Monterey jack, Oaxaca, or Manchego, but you could try Quesadilla cheese or really any cheese you fancy.
Warm up a tortilla in a pan, then sprinkle with shredded cheese and let it melt (like an open-face quesadilla.) This makes the tortilla warm and tender. Add your fajita chicken and veggies, squeeze on fresh lime juice, sprinkle on cilantro, and go straight to paradise.
What do you put on fajitas?
These fajitas are the real deal and adding toppings only makes them better. Here are some of my favorite fajita toppings!
- Sour cream
- Chipotle Mayo << I’m telling you!! I’ve been known to straight up dunk my fajita into it (maybe I need a chipotle intervention??)
- Cheese
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sliced avocados or Guacamole
- Hot sauce (use your fave!)
- 5-Minute Restaurant Style Salsa << so easy you’ll wonder why you ever buy salsa
How to make fajitas sizzle at home
When you add those onions and peppers to the pan, they will steam and shout like crazy, I promise. But they will settle down before it’s time to serve. If you are looking for that moment at the restaurant when the waiter carries the impressively loud sizzling skillet to the table, here’s how it’s done:
Cook your fajitas as instructed. Then, right before you bring it to the table, crank the heat up to high for 10-20 seconds and squirt with 1-2 tablespoons lime juice. This will make it sizzle and steam again and you can quickly walk it out to the table. In restaurants, they do the same thing using what they call “sizzle sauce,” usually a mix of water, lime juice, soy sauce, etc.
What’s good to serve with fajitas?
Chicken fajitas are already a complete meal by themselves, but I’ll never say no to a good side dish, ya know? Here are some of my favorite sides, drinks, and desserts to serve with chicken fajitas!
- Cilantro Lime Rice << sooo good with any Mexican food!! check out the secret ingredient.
- Brown Rice << healthy and delicious!
- Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans << literally just obsessed with these beans
- Brazilian Limeade << cool, creamy, tart, and perfect for serving with spicy food
- Vanilla Bean Horchata << I can never get enough horchata!
- Pico de Gallo << a fast and fresh topping for your fajitas
- Mexican Cucumber Salad with Cilantro and Lime << I love the flavors! This salad is so easy
- Spanish Cauliflower Rice << going low carb? This isn’t rice but it’s just as good
- Tres Leches Cake << the sweet and creamy Mexican dessert of your dreams
- Mexican Rice from Little Sunny Kitchen
- Homemade Refried Beans from Dassana’s Veg Recipes
How to store chicken fajitas
Leftover chicken and peppers/onions can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They’re an awesome meal prep option to make on the weekend. You can even put them in containers with beans and rice for a protein-packed work lunch (no tortillas needed). If it were me I’d just sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and let it get melty when you microwave it.
Can I freeze chicken fajitas?
Yes, freezing already-cooked fajitas is easy! But a warning: frozen, reheated peppers and onions will be soft, not crisp-tender like they are when fresh. If you don’t mind soft veggies then put the chicken, peppers, and onions all together in a Ziplock bag and freeze for 2-3 months. If you keep your meat and veggies separate for serving, you can freeze just the meat and cook up some fresh onions and pepper when you use the meat later. To use, thaw the bag in the fridge overnight or at least for a few hours, then warm everything up in a skillet on medium high.
If you’d like to do your future-self a favor, you can freeze the uncooked chicken and marinade in a ziplock. Let it thaw overnight and cook the next day with fresh veggies. I wouldn’t freeze raw onions and peppers ahead of time, they will cook up mushy.
Chicken fajitas frequently asked questions
It’s really quite simple. Marinated or seasoned meat (steak fajitas and chicken fajitas are the most common), grilled in a hot skillet, and served with grilled onions and bell peppers. Toppings can vary (like sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc.), and they are served with warm flour tortillas.
Yes! These chicken fajitas aren’t intentionally a health food recipe. But they are actually a really great healthy meal choice, depending on your toppings (and how many you eat of course. I don’t think my intake qualifies as healthy). If you’re watching your calories or carbohydrates, you can make easy swaps like using low carb tortillas or skipping or reducing the cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.
Fajita seasoning and taco seasoning are similar, but they can’t be substituted for each other. Fajita seasoning (or marinade, depending on how you use it) includes cumin, chili powder, and salt. Taco seasoning includes those too, but adds oregano, garlic, minced onion, paprika, and more.
It depends! I recommend cutting chicken breast into cutlets, then cooking and slicing. If using thighs, I prefer to slice before cooking. You can look through the notes above or the recipe card for more details.
Fajitas are often served in a cast iron skillet because that’s the pan they’re cooked in. A cast iron skillet is perfect for getting a good sear on your chicken because it distributes heat evenly. But a regular skillet works just fine.
Fajitas are part of Tex-Mex cuisine: Mexican inspired cuisine created in Texas.
Tools to make Fajitas
Here are my favorite kitchen items to use when I’m making chicken fajitas. I recently bought this exact tortilla warmer and I’m a little obsessed with it!
More delicious Mexican food
- Carne Asada << carne asada…my true love forever and ever. Made with skirt steak!
- The Best Chicken Tacos << these are so easy to make on the stovetop or in the slow cooker
- Slow Cooker Pork Tacos with Mexican Coleslaw << savory pork, crunchy fresh topping
- Pozole Rojo Like Abuela’s >> the best Mexican soup around, and one of my top soups ever PERIOD
- Chicken Flautas << an amazing appetizer or dinner. So crispy!
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies << cinnamon and chocolate might be my new favorite combo
- Mexican Wedding Cookies << no matter what you call these, they’re totally irresistible
- How to Make Churros from Love from the Oven
- Enchiladas Potosinas from La Piña in La Cocina
- Chicken Alambres from My Slice of Mexico
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The Chicken Fajitas Recipe That Changed My Mind
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 pounds chicken thighs , you can sub chicken breast*
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, use a little less if you have table salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (or more, if you like it spicy!)
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, (plus more to garnish, optional)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for searing chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter, for searing chicken
- 3 small red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for onions and peppers
- 12 6-inch flour tortillas, sometimes labeled "fajita size"
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese**, optional, technically. See note for more ideas!
To garnish
- sour cream
- Chipotle Mayo
- Guacamole
- lime wedges
- cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Slice 1 and 1/2 pounds chicken thighs into long 1-inch wide strips.* Cut against the grain, meaning your knife should be perpendicular to the lines you see running in the raw chicken. You can use chicken breasts if you want! See notes for annoyingly long details. Sometimes I can't shut up guys. Add chicken to a medium bowl.
- Add all the marinade ingredients: 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, 2 tablespoons cumin, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, and 4 cloves of garlic (at least 1 tablespoon minced). Stir it into the chicken and make sure it's all well distributed. Let marinate for 15 minutes. (or up to 24 hours in the fridge!)
- Prep the veggies. Slice the bell peppers into 1/4 inch slices. I like to cut the long strips in half, so they are more bite size. See photos. Set aside.Slice off the knobby ends of the onion. Place the flat side on the cutting board, and cut in half. Place the halved side down on the cutting board, then make 1/4 inch slices. Add to the onions to the peppers and set aside.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. (Or use the sturdiest large skillet you have.) Let the pan preheat for at least 2 minutes until is crazy hot. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. It should shimmer right away.
- Use tongs to add chicken strips to the pan one at a time. Do your best to get as much of the marinade off the chicken as you can, let it drip off. Leave at least 1-2 inches of space between strips of chicken, they need room to sear. Be careful, the oil may splatter! Add as many as you can to the pan without crowding; you will have to do this in 2-3 batches.
- Sear for about 2 minutes until the bottom is blackened.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and use the tongs to swirl it around in between the chicken. Use the tongs to flip each piece of chicken one by one, landing on the melted butter. Let sear on the second side for about 1-2 minutes, until a thermometer in your largest piece reads 155 degrees (the temp will continue to rise off-heat). Or just cut one in half to check that it's white and not pink.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken strips. Hang on to that marinade! Set it aside.
- Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, then tent with foil to keep warm. I actually usually stick it in my turned-off microwave.
- Cook the peppers and onions. Add 2 more tablespoons cooking oil to the cast iron skillet and make sure your heat is still at medium high. Add the sliced peppers and onions all at once, and feel like a boss with all those veggies mounded so high. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then add all the remaining chicken marinade right away. Stir up all the browned bits from cooking the chicken. Saute for about 2-3 minutes, until crisp-tender, or more. How long you cook the veggies is totally up to you. Keep in mind they will continue to cook a little even after you turn off the heat. Traditional fajitas are cooked only until the peppers and onions are still pretty inflexible, and quite colorful. I tend to like mine cooked a little past that. Wimp, much??
- Add in the chicken. Once you have the veggies how you like them, remove from the heat. Take a minute to cut any larger pieces of chicken into more bite-size pieces. Add all the chicken and any resting liquid into the pan with the peppers.
- Prep the tortillas. Warm the flour tortillas one by one in a clean skillet set over medium heat. Top each tortilla with a sprinkle of shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, quesadillla, etc.) if you want the ultimate experience! Heat until the cheese melts, then gently fold in half and keep warm in a tortilla warmer (or on a plate covered with a tea towel)
- Serve the chicken and peppers in a warm tortilla, topped with sour cream or Chipotle Mayo, a squeeze of lime juice, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a side of Cilantro Lime Rice. Jam it in your mouth as fast as you can! Repeat.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Hands down the best fajitas we have ever had. They are better than any restaurant fajitas. We make them regularly in our house now.
Sue this is amazing!! I’m so happy to hear this! I’m so happy you’ve found your “keeper” recipe. Thank you for taking the time to rate and review, that means so much to me!
AMAZING Fajita Recipe! So happy I came across your recipe! It taste just like resteraunt style fajitas! I am having a Fiesta party and I can’t wait to make this again!!! Recipe is a keeper! I can’t wait to make chicken fajita salad with the leftovers I have!
Chicken fajita salad is a GREAT idea Adriane, love that!! Wish I could be at your Fiesta party, sounds amazing. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, it means so much!!
Fantastic recipe. But I never have any leftover marinade. Seems like there’s no liquid left after searing. Am I missing something?
Hi Mark! No, you’re not missing anything. Sometimes, depending on how long you marinate the chicken and how much liquid it absorbs, you’ll have little to no marinade left. It’s full of flavor, so any that is left should be included, but if your chicken has already absorbed it then you’re good to go. Glad to hear you love the recipe, thanks for the review!
Hi Karen,
I made the Fajitas Friday night. The only ingredient I did not use was liquid smoke.
I also did not mix the chicken with the vegetables. I tasted the chicken and it was so good I was scared of losing some of the sear. My wife said they were the best fajitas she ever had. Exact words were. These Fajitas are Rockin! My son also is a foodie. I shared the recipe. Looking forward to choosing another of your recipes. Thanks so mucH
I’m so happy to hear this Phil!!! Sounds like it was a huge hit. I love these fajitas!! Good tip keeping the veggies separate to preserve the sear on the chicken. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a kind comment!
Seriously good! I skipped liquid smoke and chilli powder. Reduce the cumin to 2.5 teaspoon. Extra cayenne and paprika. Skipped garlic in the marinate, added to the onions and vegetables instead. Making this at least once a week if not more!
Ok trying this week- have been disappointed so many times with Fajita recipes but the reviews are so positive; can you make a recommendation as I don’t have a cast iron skillet I trust …. What will I lose by using a regular skillet? I assume w/ the smoke flavor as an ingredient in the marinade, I will be sacrificing the texture as the chicken and vegetables char? Please advise.
Thank you!
Hi Lisa! So this is no big deal, you can totally still make amazing fajitas (I have a feeling this is the one!! fingers crossed!!) The reason we use a cast iron pan is so that we can get a better sear on the meat. cast iron has a more jagged, gritty surface, as opposed to a smooth surface. This allows for a better browning effect. Cast iron also holds heat like nobody’s business, meaning that a cast iron pan will literally just get hotter than a regular pan. Don’t use an enameled or teflon type pan. You best bet is a heavy stainless steel. I hope this helps!! Fajita success is in your future, I can feel it!! 💕
I’m not sure how you can hang onto the extra marinade. It’s quite thick and certainly won’t drip off as you say. I wouldn’t really say there is any to drip off. We have used a small spatula to scrap off what we can.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a great recipe.
I agree with the marinade not dropping, I actually just added more Hickory sauce and chicken stock swirled the bowl around and then poured it over. YUM YUM YUM. Great recipe.
Ooh! That’s a good idea Alexis. I never have issues with this but thanks for sharing your simple solution!! I’m so glad you are loving the recipe, thank you for taking the time to review!
Sooo flipping delicious!! Thank you for sharing your art!
Made this recipe so many times and absolutely LOVED it each time. Could you throw these on the grill as whole chicken thighs? If so, how would you go about cooking the peppers/onions? And would you still need the liquid smoke?
Hi Nicole! We haven’t tested this recipe on the grill, but you should definitely try it out! The peppers and onions could probably be cooked in a cast iron skillet on the grill, or you could use a grill pan. You could also do them on the stovetop if you prefer. The liquid smoke is sooo good, but if you’re getting the real grill flavor it would probably be safe to skip. If you try it come back and let us know how it all turns out, we LOVE hearing from you.
Marinated the chicken for 24 hours and it was amazing! I made a fresh pico de gallo along with the chipotle mayo. Will be making this again and again.