Skillet Chicken Fajitas
on Sep 16, 2024, Updated Apr 22, 2025
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Skillet Chicken Fajitas are a fast and flavorful weeknight dinner! The marinated chicken, sweet peppers, and onion are seared in a cast iron skillet and can be ready in 30 minutes. Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings. It’s sure to be a family favorite!
If you love these chicken fajitas then you have to try my sheet pan steak fajitas!
This post and recipe have been updated since it was originally published on 4/17/2015
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Fajitas
One pan dinner – You only need one pan, preferably a cast iron or enameled skillet to make these chicken fajitas.
Family friendly dinner – This fajita recipe is one my mom made when I was a kid and I still use the same recipe today. It’s a meal both adults and kids typically tend to like.
Ready in 30 minutes – While the chicken does need to marinate, it’s a 15-30 minute marinating time depending on how much time you have. The quick cooking time make this an ideal meal for busy nights or when you aren’t in the mood to cook dinner.
The ingredients
- Chicken breasts – It’s best to cut the chicken into thin strips against the grain for fajitas. Be sure to cut the chicken before adding it to the marinade.
- Red and yellow bell peppers – I love to use red, yellow or orange bell peppers because they taste a little sweeter than green bell peppers.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion can be used. White onions have a slightly milder flavor than yellow.
- Chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, and garlic powder – The fajita seasoning blend.
- Lime – Fresh lime juice brightens up the flavor and adds a little tartness. Please use fresh squeeze lime juice and not bottled for the best flavor.
- Hot sauce – If you like a little spicy flavor in your fajitas, add a few dashes of hot sauce into the marinade.
- Cilantro – A fresh herb frequently used in southwest and Mexican cooking.
How to make skillet chicken fajitas
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Marinate the chicken – In a large bowl combine the dried spices, olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Add in the sliced chicken and toss it all around in the marinade until it’s coated.
Let the chicken marinate on the counter for 15-30 minutes. There’s no need to refrigerate it for that short of a marinating time.
Sauté the vegetables – Thinly slice the peppers and onions. Over medium-high heat, add the olive oil in a large cast iron or similar skillet. When the oil is hot, swirl it to coat the bottom of the pan and then add in the peppers and onions.
Season them with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Stir them frequently with a wooden spoon until they’re soft and caramelized. Remove from the skillet and onto a plate.
Cook the chicken – While the skillet is still hot, add in a little more oil and then toss in the chicken. Spread it into a single layer and let it sear for a couple minute before moving it around. Not moving it will allow it to brown and caramelize.
Continue to cook the chicken until it’s no longer pink and then add the peppers and onions back into the skillet. Stir everything together and then remove the skillet from the heat. Squeeze lime juice over everything and garnish with extra cilantro.
Ways to serve fajitas
- In warm flour or corn tortillas
- On top of rice or make these chicken fajita bowls.
- Make a chicken fajita salad and serve it on top of romaine lettuce with salsa and guacamole.
- Make quesadillas with them. I love using Monterey Jack cheese in my quesadillas.
- Make loaded sheet pan nachos and bake them in the oven.
Skillet chicken fajitas FAQ
Yes. Boneless skinless chicken thighs work great for these fajitas. They will need a little extra cooking time.
If you don’t like cilantro I would just omit it. You can replace with flat leaf parsley, but the flavor won’t be the same.
The fajitas will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. They’re a great recipe to make if you meal prep.
Cast iron is great for searing, which is what you want for fajitas. For the best results make sure you cast iron skillet is seasoned properly. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet an enameled cast iron skillet or stainless steel skillet will work.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Storage – The chicken fajitas will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating – You can reheat the fajitas in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warm. Be careful not to heat for too long or the chicken will dry out.
Freezing – Chicken fajitas are a great freezer meal. Let them cool completely before transferring them to a freezer safe container. The fajitas can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating using one of the methods listed above.
More one pan chicken dinners
Did you make these skillet chicken fajitas? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed between the palms of your hands
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 of a lime, juiced
Peppers and Onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine all of the chicken ingredients. Stir the chicken in the marinade until coated and let it marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- Preheat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the skillet is hot add in the sliced peppers, onion, chili powder, salt and pepper. Sauté the peppers and onions for about 4-5 minutes or until they are caramelized and have softened. Remove the peppers and onions from the skillet onto a plate and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the hot skillet then dump in the chicken. Spread it into a single layer and let it sear without moving it for 2-3 minutes. Stir the chicken around and continue to cook until it's cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the peppers and onions back into the skillet and cook everything for another minute. Remove from the heat and squeeze the other half of the lime over the fajitas. Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition does not include tortillas.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
my family absolutely loves this recipe. I faithfully make it once a month. it’s easy to make an absolutely delicious. I never ate peppers until I made this recipe.
Thanks for making it a regular meal in your house!
I have prepared several different iterations of chicken fajitas, using various recipes and cooking methods. I even purchased a fajita marinade at the grocery store. My brother commented that this is the best chicken fajita recipe by far of all of them, andI agree! The lime juice adds a burst of freshness, and the hot sauce – I used Classic Tabasco sauce – adds a nice kick. Furthermore, the marinading process is key for adding the best flavor for the chicken. Last, cooking the chicken and the veggies is a step that some don’t include when preparing fajitas, and lends to the veggies being properly cooked, and not scorched. In sum, a winning recipe. Thank you for sharing.