CHICKEN FAJITAS

Chicken Fajitas are an easy, flavor-packed weeknight meal the whole family will love! We’ve got juicy seasoned chicken with sautéed onions and bell peppers. Pile the meat and veggies in warm tortillas or atop rice and add all your favorite toppings like cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.

Ingredients

Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (2 large chicken breasts - Note 1)

3 tablespoons each: olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons ground chili powder

1 teaspoon each: paprika, ground cumin, fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional

Fajitas

For cooking: olive oil, salt, & pepper

3 large bell peppers

1 large yellow onion

For serving: flour tortillas, large avocado or guacamole, sour cream, fresh lime, fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, etc. (Note 2)

Instructions

CHICKEN: Prep chicken (Note 1). In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients listed under "chicken" except the chicken. Whisk until smooth. Add chicken to a large resealable plastic bag. Pour sauce over the chicken, seal the bag and then knead with your hands to ensure all of the chicken is well coated. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 30 minutes and preferably 3-4 hours. Don't marinate longer than 8-10 hours (acid from citrus will start to dry out chicken).

PEPPERS AND ONIONS: Thinly slice peppers and onion. We're going to cook these in stages to get a nice char! Place your largest skillet over high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and once shimmering, add a handful of the veggies to cover the entire base of the pan without overlapping. Spread out and let stand (no mixing/stirring) for 45 seconds. Toss quickly and spread out again, cooking for another 45 seconds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then stir once more, spreading out and letting stand for another 30 seconds to a minute or until nicely charred. Remove, set aside, and repeat until all veggies are done. (I like to cook the chicken in a second pan while these are browning!)

CHICKEN: Add 1 tbsp oil to a large skillet. Set to medium-high heat. Using tongs, pick up chicken from the bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off (we don't want this liquid in the pan). Place chicken flat in pan in an even layer (no overlapping). Let stand (don't move it) and char/cook for about 3-4 minutes before flipping to the other side and cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Chicken should be nicely charred and cooked through (165 degrees F). Add chicken to a plate, cover with foil. Let rest 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing.

ASSEMBLY: Prepare tortillas if using (Note 3). Pile peppers and onions on top tortilla then top with chicken. Add your favorite toppings, fold up, and enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: Chicken: No prep for thighs, but here's how to prep chicken breasts: before marinating, slice breasts in half horizontally (so you have 4 thinner pieces from 2 breasts). Then, pound chicken breasts into evenly thick pieces (don't pound to flatten, just to ensure pieces are even thickness throughout to ensure even cooking).

Note 2: Topping Ideas: Use whatever toppings you like best. There is a fairly extensive list in the blog post to go consider for more inspiration!

Note 3: Tortillas: We love these unbaked tortillas by TortillaLand (not sponsored). They are generally found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the cheese and have the best flavor. That said, any flour tortillas will work, but we do recommend warming or charring them first!

Here's how we char the tortillas: Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray. I use an olive oil-based spray (canola works as well) and give each side a good spritz. Very lightly char each side of the tortilla over an open flame on the stovetop. If you don't have an open flame, warm for 10-15 seconds in a skillet. Immediately remove the tortilla from the heat and fold in half. Place under a towel (keeps them warm and soft!) and repeat until all the tortillas are warmed/charred.

Nutrition information is only for the fajita filling as the tortillas and additional toppings will vary.

Nutrition