These Skillet Chicken Fajitas cook all in one pan on the stove for a fun and easy dinner. You don’t need to pay restaurant prices when it’s so easy to make fajitas at home!
Serve these chicken fajitas with Restaurant Style Mexican Rice and Corn Guacamole for an unforgettable meal.
These chicken fajitas are on my list of healthy dinners that everyone (and I mean everyone!) loves.
When you think of Mexican food, you might instantly think gooey melted cheese blanketed over indulgent Shredded Beef Enchiladas or Smothered Burritos. Because of my undying, never-ending love of Mexican cuisine, I’m happy to say that you can enjoy a totally satisfying meal and keep it on the lighter side.
Deliciously seasoned strips of chicken with sautéed onions and colorful bell peppers piled on toasted tortillas with your toppings of choice.
These easy Skillet Chicken Fajitas are on repeat in our house.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy – The fajitas need just 15 minutes of cooking time and most of the prep can be done in advance.
- Stovetop Method – No need to fire up the grill – you can make fajitas in a skillet on the stove no matter what’s happening with the weather.
- Big Flavor – An easy fajita marinade adds SO much flavor to the chicken and veggies.
- Wholesome – Lean protein, colorful veggies, with a fiber boost from black beans. These fajitas have far less fat and calories than typical Mexican restaurant entrées.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Veggies – A red and yellow bell pepper, yellow onion, and minced garlic. For the peppers, choose a couple of colors for pretty contrast.
- Fajita seasoning – I’ve included a small batch version of my Homemade Fajita Seasoning on the recipe card below. It’s a flavorful a combination of dried spices including chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a little cayenne pepper.
- Oil – Extra virgin olive oil.
- Lime – Citrus juice in the marinade helps tenderize the chicken. Additional fresh lime juice is squeeze over the top of the fajitas after cooking to brighten up the flavor.
- Tortillas – Look for fajita-size (6-inch) flour tortillas. I also love 50/50 blend tortillas which are a combination of corn and either flour or wheat.
- Beans – Black beans are optional but they are a natural fit with these Tex-Mex ingredients and add more fiber and nutrition.
- Optional toppings – Cilantro, shredded cheddar, jack, or crumbled Cotija cheese, sour cream, salsa or hot sauce. Anything goes!
How to Make Skillet Chicken Fajitas
- Marinate the chicken – Combine the dried seasonings with a little olive oil and lime juice and pour it over the chicken in a zippered plastic storage bag. Transfer it to the fridge and marinate for two to eight hours.
- Cook the chicken – In a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the marinated chicken in oil over medium heat until cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and tent it loosely with aluminum foil while you cook the veggies.
- Cook the veggies – Add a little oil to the empty skillet and add the sliced bell peppers and onions (it’s okay if the pan is very full – they will cook down). Cook, stirring, just until barely crisp tender. Sprinkle the veggies with the reserved seasoning mix and add the garlic to the pan. When the veggies are fork tender, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Assemble – Slice the chicken into thin strips. Scoot the veggies to one side of the pan, place the chicken next to them, and squeeze lime juice over the top.
A large cast iron skillet or enameled cast iron braiser (like you see in this post) are my favorite pans to use for skillet fajitas. These pans are excellent at providing even heat and make quick work of cooking the chicken and veggies.
How to Serve Chicken Fajitas
Tortillas – Lightly toast flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat. I transfer mine to a cloth tortilla warmer to keep them warm while I finish cooking the rest.
Beans – Warm a can of lightly drained black beans in a small saucepan. You need a little of the liquid from the can so they don’t dry out while cooking.
Toppings – You can serve fajitas with any toppings you’d typically serve with tacos. I set out bowls with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Crumbled cotija is also a great choice. In addition, we like cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce and my easy Blender Salsa.
Chicken Fajita Bowls – You can eliminate the tortillas altogether and serve the fajitas in bowls with Restaurant Style Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice, warmed black beans, and load them up with toppings. LOVE eating fajitas this way!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover fajitas should be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated within two hours of serving. They will keep well for up to 4 days.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave, just until warmed through. Or, you can place the chicken, peppers, and onions in a skillet with a splash of water, cover, and place it over low heat until until warm.
More Healthy Mexican Meals
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Margarita Chicken
- Chicken and Veggie Baked Tostadas
- Crock Pot Chile Verde
- Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Pork with Beans
- Baked Chicken Taquitos
Love fajitas? Check out my Steak Fajitas for the grill or stovetop!
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Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 lime, halved
- 2 bell peppers, assorted colors (I use red and yellow)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 12 fajita size flour tortillas (6-inch), or as needed
- 16 ounces canned black beans, lightly drained, optional
- Optional toppings – cilantro, shredded cheddar, jack, or crumbled Cotija cheese, sour cream, salsa or hot sauce
Smoky Fajita Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Pound each chicken breast to no more than ½-inch thickness and slice them in half. Transfer to a zippered gallon size plastic storage bag or other airtight container and set aside.
Fajita Seasoning Marinade
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the fajita seasoning. Measure out and reserve 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a separate small bowl and set it aside (you'll use it to season the veggies later).
- To the larger amount of seasoning mix, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, and the juice from ½ a lime. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the bag and move the chicken around in the bag until it is completely coated. Seal the bag and transfer it to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours
Prep the Veggies
- Slice the bell peppers in half, remove the core and seeds and slice each half into thin strips. Slice the onion in half, then slice thinly. If you want to get this part of the prep done in advance, transfer the peppers and onions to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to prepare dinner.
Cook the Fajitas
- Add one tablespoon olive oil to a large heavy sauté pan or deep skillet and place it over MEDIUM heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and tent it loosely with aluminum foil while you cook the veggies.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet and place it over MEDIUM heat. Add the sliced bell peppers and onions (it’s okay if the pan is very full – they will cook down) and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until barely crisp tender. Sprinkle the veggies with the reserved 1 teaspoon of Fajita Seasoning Mix and add the garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring, for another 3 or 4 minutes or until fork tender. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Slice the chicken into thin strips. Push the veggies to one side of the pan and place the chicken on the other side. Squeeze the juice from the reserved half of the lime over the top of the chicken. Garnish everything with a little cilantro.
For the Black Beans and Tortillas
- Transfer the black beans to a small saucepan and cook over LOW heat until warmed through.
- To toast the tortillas, place a dry skillet over MEDIUM heat and add a tortilla. Let it cook for a minute or two per side, or until toasted to desired level. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Serve the chicken and veggies on toasted flour tortillas with the optional toppings.
Video
Notes
- Use 3 tablespoons for the chicken marinade.
- Use 1 teaspoon when you sauté the veggies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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