Forget the takeaway this weekend, whip up these easy and delicious chicken fajitas instead! Marinated chicken seared to perfection and served with smoky charred peppers and onions.
A fantastically easy Friday night (or any other night) dinner idea – these chicken fajitas make everyone happy!
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.
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)
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Grated/shredded cheese
- Salad 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’l have a lunch to make your colleagues jealous!
How to make it
- We’re using 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.
- Then we warm the tortillas through on the hot griddle – 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)
A cast iron griddle like this one (<– affiliate link) is really useful for this recipe – use it for grilling the flatbreads, 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.
If Chris and the kids have had a long day at the office or at school, I know this dinner is guaranteed to perk everyone up again. The kids won’t touch the avocado of course (what is it with kids and avocado!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a child eat one), but everything else is fair game, and the whole tray is demolished in no time.
How to make your own fajita seasoning:
I use shop-bought fajita seasoning for this but if you like you can make your own using:
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp regular salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Swaps/additions:
- Steak – 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
Make it a full on party night with:
Cocktails:
Gin and Cucumber Basil Smash
Rum and Peach Cocktail with Chilli Syrup
Dessert:
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Homemade Snow Cones
Baked Churros with White Chocolate and Coconut Sauce
Salted Caramel Banoffee Bites
The Chicken Fajita Sharing Platter Video:
The Chicken Fajita Sharing Platter Recipe:
Friday Night Fajita Platter
Ingredients
- 8 small flour tortillas/flatbreads (use gluten free tortillas or GF pittas if necessary)
- 3 chicken breasts sliced into strips
- 3 tbsp vegetable 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
- 1/2 cup (120ml) sour cream
- 1 cup (250g) salsa
- 1/2 cup (50g) 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.
- Place the chicken on a plate, pour on 2 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle on the fajita seasoning. Mix together until thoroughly combined.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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 the sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, jalapenos and lime wedges.
Recipe Video
Recipe 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.Nutritional Information
This post was first published in April 2016. Updated in January 2020 with new photos, tips and video.
Tools used (fyi these are 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 me to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running x)
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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.
