Mexican chicken fajitas are a popular Tex-Mex dish that typically consists of marinated strips of chicken breasts sautéed with bell peppers and onions. The mixture is wrapped in warm tortillas and served with various toppings like guacamole, salsa sour cream, cheese and more.
A Brief History of Chicken Fajitas
The origins of fajitas can be traced back to Mexican ranch lands where skirt steak was commonly grilled over open fires, Ranch hands would place the grilled meat in tortillas along with grilled vegetables like onions and bell peppers to make a portable meal
This style of grilled meat tacos eventually made its way into Mexican restaurants in Texas in the 1930s and the term “fajita” became popularized to describe the grilled skirt steak tacos. The word fajita comes from the Spanish word “faja” meaning strip or belt.
Over time, restaurants started experimenting with other proteins like chicken and shrimp for fajitas. Today, chicken is one of the most popular options for making fajitas at home due to its mild flavor and affordability compared to steak.
Ingredients for Chicken Fajitas
The main ingredients for classic Mexican chicken fajitas are:
-
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders cut into strips
-
Onions: Thinly sliced yellow, white or red onions
-
Bell peppers: Julienned or sliced bell peppers – commonly red, green, yellow
-
Olive oil: For cooking
-
Fajita seasoning A blend of spices like chili powder cumin, garlic, oregano
-
Limes: For juice and zest
-
Tortillas: Warm flour or corn tortillas
-
Toppings: Guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, cheese, cilantro
Step-By-Step Instructions
Making chicken fajitas at home is easy to do in just 3 simple steps:
1. Prepare the Chicken
-
Slice 1-1.5 lbs of chicken breasts into thin strips
-
Place strips into a large bowl and toss with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lime, 1 1/2 Tbsp fajita seasoning mix
-
Allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight
2. Cook the Fajita Vegetables
-
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
-
Add sliced onions and julienned peppers. Cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Cook the Chicken
-
In the same pan, cook marinated chicken for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through.
-
Return sautéed onions and peppers to pan. Toss together and cook 1 minute more.
-
Squeeze fresh lime juice over fajitas before serving.
Serving Suggestions
There are many tasty ways to serve classic chicken fajitas:
-
Stuff fajita mixture into warm flour or corn tortillas
-
Top with guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, cheese, sour cream
-
Serve with Spanish rice and refried beans
-
Add to a salad with mixed greens, avocado, corn
-
Wrap in lettuce leaves for low-carb chicken fajita lettuce wraps
-
Pile chicken fajita mixture over nachos for loaded nachos
Tips for the Best Homemade Chicken Fajitas
-
Use a cast iron skillet or grill pan to get that classic charred fajita flavor
-
Cut all ingredients into similar sized strips for even cooking
-
Make extra fajita seasoning mix to have on hand for easy prep
-
Allow chicken to marinate for best flavor infusion
-
Cook over fairly high heat so veggies stay crisp-tender
-
Warm tortillas before serving so they don’t crack or tear
-
Let guests build their own fajitas with desired toppings
What Makes Chicken Fajitas So Popular?
There are several reasons why chicken fajitas have become such a popular Mexican food trend:
-
Quick and easy to make – fajitas come together quickly with minimal prep time compared to more complex dishes. Just marinate, sauté, serve!
-
Perfect weeknight meal – fajitas check all the boxes for an easy weeknight dinner – fast, budget-friendly, nutritious and crowd-pleasing.
-
Kid-friendly – kids love assembling their own tacos and loading them up with toppings.
-
Customizable – fajitas are highly versatile depending on personalized add-ins like guacamole, cheese, salsa and more.
-
Nutritious – chicken and veggies provide lean protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
-
Shareable – fajitas make great sharable appetizers for parties and gatherings.
-
Flavorsome – the combination of savory chicken, sweet peppers and onions, tangy lime and bold Tex-Mex spices is simply delicious!
How to Make Chicken Fajitas
This chicken fajita recipe is a total breeze to make! The chicken is flavorful and juicy while the peppers are perfectly tender-crisp! You can have delicious chicken fajitas on the table in just 20 minutes, including prep!
- Mix seasoning blend.
- Cut veggies and chicken.
- Cook chicken in olive oil in a pan, add veggies. (You can make fajitas on the grill if you prefer).
- Fill your tortillas with your favorite toppings!
Be sure you don’t overcrowd the pan with your chicken or it won’t brown nicely (I do two smaller batches).
I usually soak the onions in cold water while I prep the rest of the ingredients to take a bit of the “bite” out of them for my kids. This step is optional of course!
How Do I Season Chicken for Fajitas?
These chicken fajitas are flavored with an easy homemade fajita seasoning. While you can purchase fajita seasoning packets, I find combining my own spices not only adds more flavor but has less salt and additives.
In a pinch, you could use taco seasoning (but add a little bit of extra ground cumin if you have it on hand).
Marinade: I add a bit of olive oil and some lime juice to create a chicken fajita marinade. Starting with the chicken, I allow it to sit in the marinade while I prep the rest of the ingredients.
How to Make Easy Chicken Fajitas in Minutes – Quick and Simple Recipe!
FAQ
What is Mexican chicken fajita?
FEATURED IN: Yay, chicken fajitas! So easy to make, and so quick. The method involves quickly searing the meat on a griddle or grill, and then slicing and serving with quickly seared peppers and onions. And, of course, flour tortillas.
What is an authentic Mexican fajita?
Fajitas are a popular Tex-Mex dish made from grilled meat, usually beef or chicken, which is served on a sizzling hot skillet along with grilled onions and peppers. The meat and vegetables are served with warm tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, allowing diners to create their own unique flavor combinations.
What do chicken fajitas contain?
Key Ingredients in Chicken Fajitas
Onions: Sliced onions caramelize and char in spots, and add a bunch of flavor. Peppers: Red and green bell peppers add color and a nice serving of vegetables. Add a jalapeño for a little heat. Lime: A squeeze of acidic lime juice perks everything up.
What seasoning do Mexican restaurants use for fajitas?
Most fajita seasoning mixes are made up of a few simple Mexican spices, like cumin and chili powder, plus some additional spices, like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.