Chicken seared to perfection and served with smoky charred peppers and onions., these chicken fajitas are the perfect blend of heat and flavour. Whether it’s a quick weeknight dinner or a lively weekend meal where the kids have got friends over, this chicken fajita recipe is guaranteed clean plates all round and they come together in under 30 minutes!
A fantastically easy Friday night (or any other night) dinner idea – these chicken fajitas make everyone happy!
Table of Contents
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
I know this dinner is guaranteed to perk everyone up and the whole tray will be demolished in no time.
It amazes me to watch the kids happily scoff onions, peppers and lots of salad leaves – even though it can be a battle to get them to eat them in other dishes!!
Serve these tortillas made up and line them all up on a board, or just throw all the fillings on one huge platter so that everyone can dig in and help themselves family style.
And whilst the fajita-spiced chicken and veggies are the main event, you don’t want to skimp on the extras too.
Fajita Topping Ideas
- Sliced avocado (squeeze a little lemon or lime juice on to help prevent them from browning) or Guacamole
- Homemade Salsa
- Sour cream
- Grated/shredded cheese
- Lettuce leaves
- Sliced jalapenos
- Roughly chopped coriander (cilantro)
It’s a great idea to make extra and save some for a fajita salad bowl the next day. A drizzle of sour cream and a few salad leaves and you’ll have a lunch to make your colleagues jealous!
How to make them
- I use shop-bought fajita seasoning and a little oil to flavour the chicken breast strips. That all gets mixed together first. Then heat the griddle over a high heat. You can simply use a frying pan or skillet if you don’t have a griddle.
- Then we warm the tortillas through on the hot griddle (or frying pan) – just for a minute or so, so those lovely griddle lines appear. You can keep them warm, wrapped in some foil.
- That smoking hot griddle is then brushed with oil and we add sliced onion and pepper strips. That smell of griddled veggies it so good! They’re cooked until softened and just starting to char in a few places. You can place them on a tray and cover to keep warm (or place in a low oven).
- Then add the chicken to the griddle. This takes 5-7 minutes until you reach that perfect slightly-charred-ness. You’ll need to turn over once or twice during cooking using some tongs. Also, now’s a good time to open a window or turn on your extractor. There will be a lot of smoke!
- Once the chicken is done, add to the tray with the veggies and serve with the warm tortillas plus lots of toppings (see my list above)
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItA cast iron griddle like this one (<– affiliate link) is really useful for this recipe – use it for grilling the corn tortillas, chicken, peppers and onions to give a slightly smoky-charred flavor. If you haven’t got one, then a frying pan will still do the job nicely. Could also use a cast iron skillet.
Make your own fajita seasoning:
I use shop-bought fajita seasoning for this but if you like you can make your own using spices and seasoning you’ve probably already got in your cupboard:
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt/garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp regular salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Swaps/additions:
- Steak fajitas – cook in the same way as the chicken. You can also cook it alongside the chicken if you want to serve up both.
- Boiled rice or savoury rice makes a great addition – or you can swap it out for the tortillas to make a fajita bowl – like this Cajun Chicken and Rice Bowl
- Add strips of courgette (zucchini) – simple peel strips using a vegetable peeler, brush with oil and place on the griddle for 30-60 seconds (no need to turn)
- Crumbly cheese such a Cotija or Lancashire
- Mushrooms! I love griddled mushrooms! Brush thick slices with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then griddle until golden brown
- Add in some black beans to increase the fibre.
More Mexican Recipes
We LOVE Mexican inspired dinner times in our house, I dont think a week goes by without us having at least one of them, Chris’s Chilli Con Carne is a firm favourite alongside fajitas.
The Chicken Fajita Video
Stay updated with new recipes!
Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).
Chicken Fajita Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 small flour tortillas/flatbreads (use gluten-free tortillas or GF pittas if necessary)
- 3 skinless chicken breast sliced into strips
- 3 tbsp oil (neutral oil such as avocado or olive oil)
- 2 tbsp fajita seasoning
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 onion
To Serve:
- 1 avocado sliced (brush with a little lemon/lime juice to prevent browning)
- 1 bunch fresh coriander/cilantro roughly chopped
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
- 250 g (1 cup) salsa
- 50 g (1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese
- 1-2 jalapenos sliced
- 1-2 limes sliced or cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to it's lowest temperate and place a large baking tray in there to warm. Then cut the peppers and onion into slices.1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 onion
- Place the chicken on a plate, pour on 2 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle on the fajita seasoning. Mix together until thoroughly combined.3 skinless chicken breast, 2 tbsp fajita seasoning, 3 tbsp oil
- Heat a cast-iron griddle plate to a high heat, when hot, place the tortillas on the griddle – turning once until you have griddle lines on the tortillas. It should only take a minute or two, but you’ll probably need to do this in 2 or 3 batches. Place on a plate and cover with some foil to keep warm.8 small flour tortillas/flatbreads
- Brush the griddle with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Place the sliced peppers and onions on the griddle and fry until slightly charred and softened (about 8-10 minutes), turning once or twice during cooking. Remove and place on the warmed baking tray (take the tray out of the oven now so it’s not too hot to serve).3 tbsp oil
- Place the chicken on the hot griddle and cook until charred and no longer pink in the middle (about 5-6 minutes). Turn over once during cooking.
- Place the chicken on the tray along with the warmed tortillas, avocado slices and coriander/cilantro. Serve with sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, jalapenos, and lime wedges.1 avocado, 1 bunch fresh coriander/cilantro, 120 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream, 250 g (1 cup) salsa, 50 g (1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese, 1-2 jalapenos, 1-2 limes
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead?
For fajitas, it tastes the best when eaten right away, but you can save leftovers for an amazing salad the next day. Cool the chicken and veggies, then cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Mix with salad leaves, tomatoes and some freshly sliced avocado.Can I make it gluten free?
Yes! Use gluten free tortillas (or swap out for rice and make a fajita bowl instead) and check your fajita blend and salsa are gluten free. If you’re using ready shredded/grated cheese, check that too, as sometimes flour is added to prevent the cheese sticking together. Nutritional info is per serving.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This chicken fajitas recipe was first published in April 2016. Updated in January 2020 with new photos, tips and video. Updated again in May 2025 for housekeeping reasons and with additional information.
What other people ask
For fajitas, they tastes the best when eaten right away, but you can save leftovers for an amazing salad the next day. Cool the chicken and veggies, then cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Mix with salad leaves, tomatoes and some freshly sliced avocado.
Yes! Use gluten free tortillas (or swap out for rice and make a fajita bowl instead) and check your fajita blend and salsa are gluten free.
If you’re using ready shredded/grated cheese, check that too, as sometimes flour is added to prevent the cheese sticking together.
No. Using the fajita seasoning, along with frying the chicken with onions and peppers over a high heat gives the fajitas a lovely smoky flavour so there’s no need to marinade.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
This looks sooooo good. I love Fajitas & this is one recipe I am definitely going to try. Thank you for sharing it
YUUUUUMMMM! My mouth is watering like crazy now Nicky!! Love the video and music that goes with it! Can’t wait to try this! 🤩
Thanks Lavina, 🙂
Chris
Friday night supper sorted 😋
A perfect one for dinner. And I think this chicken fajita is good to pair with rice. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by Anna 🙂