These Easy Chicken Fajitas are bursting with plenty of flavor from chili powder, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and smoked chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. This healthy delicious meal comes together quite quickly after the chicken is marinated.
I love to serve this with Doritos Taco Salad, Easy Taco Dip and Raspberry Margaritas. This is a meal that everyone enjoys and it is one of my family’s favorites. You are going to love this easy, delicious and flavorful meal.
How to make Chicken Fajitas
Start by combining the cut chicken, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce in a zipper bag. Then marinate for 30-60 minutes. Next heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in batches in a single layer until cooked through and slightly charred. Remove cooked pieces of chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
Heat a little more oil over medium heat. Now add the onions and peppers to the skillet cooking until the onion is soft and the peppers are slightly charred. Then add the chicken back to the skillet and stir to combine and warm. Next squeeze a little extra lime juice over the fajita mixture. Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro and fresh lime slices.
Recipe notes and tips
- Any colored peppers will work but a variety of colored bell peppers makes for a beautiful presentation.
- Marinate the chicken for 30-60 minutes. That is plenty of time for the chicken to absorb the flavors of the marinade and to tenderize. I really find that marinating chicken much longer than that (especially bite size pieces) does nothing positive to enhance the flavors and may indeed toughen the chicken.
- Add 1 chopped chipotle pepper and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce to the marinade. You can find canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Mexican food section of most local grocery stores.
- Cut the chicken in uniform pieces. I like to slice it fairly thin in pieces that are about twice as long as they are wide. With a little practice anyone can master it.
What are chipotle peppers and where can I find them?
Chipotle peppers are jalapeno peppers that have been aged, dried and deliciously smoked. They are earthy, robust and smokey yet still incredibly spicy. You can find them canned with adobo sauce in the Mexican food section of most local grocery stores. Adobo sauce is a slightly sweet tangy rich reddish brown sauce made with ground ancho and guajillo chiles.
The combination of the two is an amazing taste sensation. One chopped chipotle pepper with a little bit of the adobo sauce can take your Mexican and southwestern recipes over the top. Store the remaining chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Other Tex-Mex recipes you will love!
- Mexican Lasagna
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Queso Fundido
- Mexican Pizzas
- Easy Mexican Coleslaw
Easy Chicken Fajitas
Delicious Chicken Fajitas made easy at home in one skillet and better than your favorite Mexican Restaurant. Serve with soft tortillas, sour cream, guacamole and chopped cilantro for an over the top meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: main meal chicken
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs chicken breasts cut in bite size pieces
- 1 lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 chopped chipotle pepper (canned in adobo sauce)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 bell peppers cut in thin strips (any color but variety is better)
- limes for squeezing over cooked fajitas mixture and for garnish
- flour tortillas
- sour cream
- guacamole
- fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine cut chicken, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, pepper, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce in a zipper bag. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in batches in a single layer until cooked through and slightly charred. Remove cooked pieces of chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook until the onions are soft and the peppers are slightly charred on the edges. Add the chicken back to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes to warm.
- Squeeze a little additional lime juice over fajitas. Serve with warmed tortillas, sour cream, guacamole and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Any colored peppers will work but a variety of colored bell peppers makes for a beautiful presentation.
- Marinate the chicken for 30-60 minutes. That is plenty of time for the chicken to absorb the flavors of the marinade and to tenderize. I really find that marinating chicken much longer than that (especially bite size pieces) does nothing positive to enhance the flavors and may indeed toughen the chicken.
- Add 1 chopped chipotle pepper and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce to the marinade. You can find canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Mexican food section of most local grocery stores.
- Cut the chicken in uniform pieces. I like to slice it fairly thin in pieces that are about twice as long as they are wide. With a little practice anyone can master it.
Keywords: best chicken fajita recipe, how to make chicken fajitas, chicken fajita marinade
On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
rika
My husband and I love fajitas! This recipe looks easy to make. I’ll try it soon because I have everything I need to make this recipe.
★★★★★
Neli Howard
Wow, those fajitas look and sound amazing! Love the pretty colors from the peppers.
★★★★★
Jessica Formicola
This is my go to dish when going to our local Mexican restaurant, but I’ve never made them at home. I can’t wait to try them!
★★★★★
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I love how delicious and easy these sound! I can’t wait to make these for the family this week.
★★★★★
Alison
Lots of fresh flavors in these easy skillet fajitas. A great weeknight meal!
★★★★★
Dorothy Reinhold
I love the spices that you used! We love fajitas! I am also excited to try your taco salad!
Catalina
Such an easy and delicious weeknight dinner! Must make it this week!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
Definitely making this for dinner tonight! Can practically smell all those delicious aromas! Yum!
★★★★★
Sandra
This quickly became a favorite meal at my house!! So delicious!
★★★★★
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
These Easy Chicken Fajitas are on my must-make list!
★★★★★
Toni
This is absolutely amazing!! It was a huge hit at my house!
★★★★★
Kevin
These were full of the best flavors! I have to keep them on the weekly menu!
★★★★★