Simple Chicken Fajitas

A Tex-Mex classic, this Simple Chicken Fajitas recipe serves up juicy, spice-marinated chicken breasts seared to perfection and served with sautéed bell peppers and onions. Finished with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro, these fajitas are ideal for quick, colourful, and satisfying dinner.

Need more quick chicken dinner ideas? The whole family will love Pesto Chicken Parmesan served with spaghetti in pesto or as a sandwich in ciabatta buns. Or, serve them perfectly tender Chicken Piccata Meatballs over pasta in a buttery sauce of lemon, capers, and garlic. Everyone loves these fun spins on Italian American classics!

Simple Chicken Fajitas

Are you ready for another dinner recipe featuring everyone’s favourite protein? Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or just looking for a meal that feels like a party on a plate, these easy chicken fajitas hit that sweet spot between effortless prep and restaurant-quality flavour.

I’m talking tender strips of spiced chicken, sautéed bell peppers, and onions that have just the right amount of bite, all tucked into a warm tortilla. Talk about ‘winner winner chicken dinner’!

There are several reasons why chicken fajitas are the undisputed champion of the “I don’t feel like cooking” weeknight dinner… they’re quick cooking, colourful, impossibly easy to make, and full of Tex-Mex flavours.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One-Pan Magic: Minimal dishes mean you spend less time scrubbing and more time eating.
• 30-Minute Meal: From the cutting board to the table in less time than it takes to order takeout.
• Totally Customizable: Load them up with zesty lime, cool sour cream, or extra guac—there are no rules here.

So, grab your favourite skillet, and let’s get cooking!

Fajitas: A Tex-Mex Classic

Fajitas were invented by vaqueros (or cowboys) from northern Mexico and the Texas Rio Grande Valley in the 1930’s. They created the dish as a way to turn tougher beef cuts (faja: hanger or skirt steak) into a quick and tasty meal.

Before they were grilled over open fires, the faja, or skirt steaks marinated in lime juice to soften the tough fibers. Finally, the tender steak was sliced into thin strips and eaten with tortillas. While the original fajita recipes featured (and are named for) this specific cut of beef, chicken and shrimp ‘fajita’ recipes are now incredibly popular.

You may be thinking, aren’t fajitas just tacos? Yes and no. While both are served in corn or flour tortillas, there’s less variety of ingredients in fajitas. They exist simply as marinated grilled meat strips with grilled bell peppers and onions while tacos can contain a whole host of fillings and toppings.

Ingredients in Chicken Fajitas

Besides the chicken fajita marinade ingredients, you’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts, onions, and a colourful trio of bell peppers. Don’t forget to grab some tortillas and your favourite fajita toppings!

• Chicken Breasts
• Chili Powder
• Paprika
• Limes
• Oregano
• Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Ground Cumin
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Bell Peppers
• Onion
• Tortillas

You can use either boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in this recipe. If using chicken thighs, use double the amount or eight thighs.

The marinade ingredients are designed for simplicity, but I encourage you to use real garlic in place of garlic powder for better flavour results.

Use flour or corn tortillas, as preferred and fresh limes for the marinade and for serving.

Suggested Fajita Toppings: chopped cilantro, Mexican crema or sour cream, and avocado slices or guacamole. Serve with hot sauce and lime wedges.

How to Make Simple Chicken Fajitas

It all begins with a delicious chicken marinade. To make the marinade, combine the paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt and black pepper together in a large mixing bowl.

Next, add the chicken breasts and coat well with the spice mixture. Marinate for at least 20 minutes (or overnight for best flavour).

Now it is time to sauté the vegetables. Heat 1- 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Toss in the sliced bell peppers and onion and stir-fry the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, until slightly browned and softened but still crisp. Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside.

Add marinated chicken to the hot pan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (as needed) and sear for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 F. Remove chicken from the skillet and let it rest a few minutes before slicing.

To serve, warm tortillas in a hot pan over medium heat or wrap them in a tea towel and microwave them. Slice the cooked chicken into strips, then place them in warmed tortillas with sautéed vegetables and your favourite fajita toppings (chopped cilantro, Mexican crema or sour cream, and avocado slices or guacamole). Serve with hot sauce and lime wedges.

Storing Leftover Chicken Fajitas

Once cooked and cooled, both the chicken and vegetables can be refrigerated for up to four days, making the recipe an ideal meal prep option. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to 12 months, if needed.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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