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Chicken Fajita Bowls are full of warm rice, juicy Southwest spiced chicken, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a big dollop of guacamole! These rice bowls are satisfying, healthy and a great weeknight dinner!
Want to stick to traditional chicken fajitas? Make my skillet chicken fajitas!
Why you’ll love them
Quick and easy to make – Making fajitas is essentially the Southwest version of making stir-fry, so you know it’s going to be a quick and easy to make meal. The chicken, peppers and onions only need a combined time of about 15 minutes to cook, which is the same amount of time it takes to cook the rice.
Healthy and balanced meal – If you’re looking for a satisfying and filling meal look no further! These chicken fajita bowls are a great balance of carbs, protein, and fat.
Meal prep – If you meal prep this is a great recipe for you try. Everything holds up well for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make it on a Sunday and enjoy these rice bowls for lunch or dinner throughout the week.
The ingredients
- Chicken breasts – Boneless skinless chicken breasts work great for chicken fajitas. Slice them extra thin so that they cook quickly.
- Cilantro – If you don’t like cilantro just leave it out of the marinade.
- Chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, and garlic powder – The spices for the fajita seasoning.
- Lime – Always use fresh squeezed lime juice over bottled if possible. The flavor is so much better.
- Red bell pepper – Any color bell pepper can be used.
- Onion – I used a white onion, but you could use a yellow onion or sweet onion as well.
- Avocados – Look for ripe avocados at the store or buy them a couple days before you plan to make the bowls. Ripe avocados are easy to mash, creamy, and work the best for making guacamole.
- Rice – Jasmine or long grain white rice will cook the fastest, 15 minutes. Brown rice can also be used, but plan on it taking about 45 minutes to cook.
- Cherry tomatoes – Optional topping, but I love the sweetness they add.
How to make chicken fajita bowls
Make the guacamole – Combine all of the ingredients for the guacamole in a bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash until your desired creaminess. Cover the bowl and set aside until you’re ready to serve.
Marinate the chicken – Slice the chicken thinly then place it in a bowl. Add in the dried spices, oil, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir everything together until the chicken is coated and then let it marinate on the counter for 10-15 minutes while you cook the peppers and onions.
Cook the rice – Before you start cooking the fajita meat and veggies, start cooking the rice. If using white rice it will take 15 minutes, which is about the same amount of time it will take to get everything else prepped and cooked. For the best rice results, let it steam in the pan it cooked in with the lid on and heat off for 5-10 minutes.
Sauté the peppers and onions – Slice the pepper and onion into thin strips. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in a drizzle of olive oil and then toss in the veggies. Stir them frequently until they’re soft and caramelized, about 4 minutes. Remove them from the skillet and onto a plate.
Cook the chicken – Drizzle the skillet with a little more oil and then dump the chicken in. Spread it into a single layer and then let it cook untouched for about 3 minutes. This will allow it to brown. Toss the chicken around and continue to sauté until it’s cooked through.
Assemble the rice bowls – Add some of the rice to a bowl. Top it with your desired amount of peppers, onions, and chicken. Add the cherry tomatoes and a dollop of guacamole, and any other toppings you might want, then serve.
Fajita bowl variations
- Add black beans and corn.
- Spice up the rice and make cilantro lime rice like I did as a side dish for this chipotle maple grilled salmon
- Instead of or along with the guacamole, top the bowls with salsa, shredded lettuce, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, cheese, or pickled jalapeños.
- Substitute the chicken with shrimp or steak. The marinade ingredients will remain the same.
More Fajita recipes
Did you make these Chicken Fajita Bowls? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Chicken Fajita Bowls
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- Juice of half a lime
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Peppers and Onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 of a white onion, thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Guacamole
- 1 – 2 avocados, peeled and seed removed.
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons diced white onion
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Other ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- Cherry tomatoes
- Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rice.
- Combine the dried spices listed under the chicken ingredients.
- Add the sliced chicken to a bowl along with the cilantro, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the dried spice mixture, salt, pepper, lime juice and hot sauce (if you’re using it). Stir everything together until the chicken is coated in the marinade. Set aside and let it marinate on the counter for 10-15 minutes while you make the guacamole and sauté the vegetables.
- In a bowl add all of the ingredients for the guacamole and mash it with a potato masher or fork until it’s your desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or lime juice as needed.
- In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the pepper, onion, remaining dried spices, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until soft and caramelized. Remove them from the skillet and onto a plate.
- Drizzle the skillet with a little additional olive oil and then dump in the chicken. Spread it into a single layer and then let it cook without moving it for 3-4 minutes so that it gets browned. Toss the chicken around and continue cooking until it’s no longer pink and cooked through.
- To assemble the bowls, fill with 1/2 cup of rice and top with your desired amount of chicken, peppers, onions, guacamole, and tomatoes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
