Easy Chicken Fajitas
These chicken fajitas are juicy, tender, and bursting with citrus and garlic flavors. Prepare the 10-minute marinade in advance, then grill the chicken for tacos or salads. It’s a family favorite that freezes well. So easy!
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Why I Love This Recipe
I remember trying chicken fajitas for the first time at my friend Amber’s house. Until that point, I had only ever eaten beef fajitas. Let’s just say it’s my favorite way to eat chicken now (besides chicken enchiladas)!
Over the years, my family has tried many recipes for chicken fajitas, and this one is our favorite. There are many reasons to love it.
- Chicken fajitas are perfect for a weeknight or weekend meal. Since the chicken marinates 4-6 hours (or more), you can prep this dish the night before or in the morning for a great dinner entree. Once marinated, you’ll only need a few minutes to get dinner on the table.
- You only need six ingredients. Beyond fresh garlic and lemons, you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. The lemons tenderize the chicken breasts and lend a bright citrus flavor to the meat, so don’t skimp there.
- Leftovers freeze well and make a versatile protein for other meals. We regularly grill 4-6 chicken breasts and repurpose the leftovers in salads or quesadillas. You can pop individual portions in the freezer for quick meals later in the week.
You can find the full recipe at the bottom of this post. Read on to get my best tips for success.
How to Season Chicken Fajitas
It all begins with the marinade. The longer you marinate the chicken breasts or tenders, the more flavorful the chicken fajitas will be.
Tip: Cut the chicken breasts in half or use chicken tenders to get a more flavorful chicken fajita and cook the chicken more evenly.
I like to place the chicken pieces in a casserole dish or glass bowl to let them marinate, but you can also use a food storage bag. Mix the marinade in a separate bowl before pouring it over the chicken.
How to Cook Chicken Fajitas
You can grill the chicken fajitas indoors in a cast-iron skillet or outside on a gas or charcoal grill.
Grilled fajitas often have the best flavor, but the convenience of cooking the chicken indoors makes the skillet a winner on weeknights.
How to Grill Fajitas in a Skillet
To cook chicken fajitas indoors, use a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven coated with a tablespoon of oil. Heat the skillet over medium heat before adding the chicken. You may want to use a splatter guard when adding the chicken, as it tends to sizzle.
Cook the chicken on one side for 5-6 minutes before flipping. Then cook another 4-5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
How to Cook Fajitas on a Grill
Pre-heat the grill to about 375°F and follow the same instructions as cooking in a skillet. Depending on your grill’s heat setting and the thickness of the chicken, you may need to reduce the cooking time.
Tip: Use a food thermometer if unsure whether the chicken is fully cooked.
How to Serve Chicken Fajitas
We love eating these chicken fajitas with flour tortillas or corn tortillas. The fun part is adding toppings to our fajita tacos.
Popular Chicken Fajita Toppings
These chicken fajitas also make the perfect protein for salads, rice bowls, or burritos. We always serve fajitas with sides of Mexican rice and charro beans or refried beans.
Our favorite leftover meal is chicken quesadillas. Just melt some cheese with your chicken between two flour tortillas for a heavenly quesadilla meal.
How to Store Chicken Fajitas
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, or freeze leftovers for up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to reheat the chicken fajitas, defrost the meat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave. Then reheat in the microwave on a low-to-medium power setting or reheat in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
Microwave Tip: Reheat the meat at a lower temperature (power level) for longer to prevent the chicken from becoming tough. I also sometimes cover the chicken with a damp paper towel in the microwave to keep the meat from becoming dry.
Easy Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (can substitute canola oil)
- 4 lemons
- 1 clove garlic (minced, or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 4 teaspoon onion flakes (dried onion)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon thyme (optional)
- 1 bell pepper (sliced, optional)
- 1 onion (sliced, optional)
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Pour oil into a bowl and add the juice of four lemons.
- Add onion flakes, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to the oil. Stir in thyme, if desired. Blend seasonings with a fork or whisk.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts in a glass bowl or casserole dish, and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
Cook the chicken fajitas
- Pre-heat the grill (to about 375°F) or a large cast iron skillet at medium-high heat. Coat the skillet with a small amount of oil, if needed.
- Cook chicken for about 5-6 minutes on one side. Then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes until the internal temp reaches 165°F.
- If desired, saute red slices of peppers and onions in the same skillet or on a grill pan for 3-4 minutes until tender.
- Serve the chicken fajitas in a tortilla, on a salad, or over rice. Top with peppers, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or pico de gallo.
