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A top down shot of chicken fajitas in a skillet surrounded by sour cream, cheese, cilantro, salsa, tortillas, and black beans.
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5 from 5 votes

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

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!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6
Calories: 427kcal

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

Nutrition information was calculated for 2 fajitas without optional toppings.
Big Batch Fajita Seasoning
Make a big batch of Homemade Fajita Seasoning  in advance to save time. Store it on a cool, dry pantry shelf in an airtight container, like a mason jar. Dry spices can lose potency over time so for the best quality, I recommend using spice mixes like this one within 4 to 6 months.
Amounts of seasoning if using the big batch recipe.
  • Use 3 tablespoons for the chicken marinade.
  • Use 1 teaspoon when you sauté the veggies.

Nutrition

Serving: 2fajitas | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1688IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 4mg