These authentic Mexican chicken fajitas (fajitas de pollo) are so easy, healthy, and loaded with flavour! Infused in a homemade fajita seasoning and quickly fried in a skillet, these traditional chicken fajitas are a delicious one pan restaurant-style dish that the whole family will love. Ready to serve in less than 30 minutes! {Gluten-free & dairy-free}
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Restaurant-style chicken fajitas
We are huge fans of Mexican food, and these authentic chicken fajitas are one of those recipes that we like to make on repeat because everybody loves them and the leftovers can easily be repurposed!
Made with chicken breasts, homemade fajita seasoning mix, lime and bell peppers, these delicious fajitas de pollo (Mexican chicken fajitas) taste like a meal you’d get at your favourite Tex-Mex restaurant, but can be whipped together in one pan in less than 30 minutes. Bonus!
They’re packed with bold and vibrant flavours and colours, and make the perfect balanced, quick and easy weeknight dinner!
For more Mexican inspired recipes, be sure to try my Low Carb Chicken Fajita Casserole and Authentic Chicken Quesadilla Recipe too!
Why we love this authentic fajita recipe
- Great for a crowd: This recipe serves four, but can easily be doubled if you’re entertaining. Set up a fajita bar for everyone to build their own fajitas with all their favourite toppings. It’s so colourful when served!
- Make ahead: The chicken can be seasoned ahead of time and left to marinate, but if you want to cook it all up in advance, the leftovers are pretty tasty too!
- So easy! This is one of my go to family-friendly recipes for a reason. There’s minimal prep and because it’s made in one pan, clean up is a breeze! Isn’t that everyone’s dream come true?
Ingredient notes
For the fajitas:
- Chicken: Chicken is a great source of lean protein. I typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but this recipe also works great with chicken thighs and tenders.
- Vegetables: Bell peppers and onion add lots of flavour and colour to this dish. I typically use red, yellow and green peppers for more colour variation, but you can easily sub in another colour pepper. You can also use red onions instead of yellow.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice adds a delicious zingy flavour. Use fresh rather than bottled for the best results. You can also sub in lemon juice if that’s what you have on hand.
- Oil: For marinating and cooking. I generally use olive oil, but canola or avocado will work well too.
For the homemade fajita seasoning mix:
You can easily whip up your own fajita seasoning from scratch using a few basic spices:
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Salt and pepper
How to make Mexican chicken fajitas – fajitas de pollo
- In a large bowl, combine sliced chicken breast, one tablespoon of olive oil, juice of half a lime and the fajita seasoning spices. Toss the chicken until it’s evenly coated in the marinade. If you have the time, allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to cook. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick heavy skillet or cast iron skillet. Add half of the chicken strips to the hot skillet and sear until just cooked, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken. Set chicken aside in a bowl or on a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add in sliced peppers and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Add chicken back to the pan and toss to combine.
- Squeeze additional lime juice over the mixture.
- Serve warm over flour or corn tortillas with desired toppings.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the full fajita recipe!
Recipe Tips for the Best Fajitas
- Be sure to cut all the vegetables and chicken in strips that are roughly the same size to ensure everything finishes cooking at the same time.
- If you want to save on prep time, you can purchase pre-sliced raw chicken tenders.
- If you have extra time, I highly recommend marinating the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes to infuse even more flavour into the fajitas.
- If you like to make this recipe on repeat, I recommend making up a big batch of the Authentic Fajita Seasoning Recipe. Skip the seasonings in the recipe card and simply add 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of this mix. You can also use taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought) as an alternative to the homemade fajita mix, but I recommend adding a little bit of extra ground cumin if you have some on hand.
- To make the fajitas more kid-friendly, you can soak the onions in cold water while prepping the rest of the ingredients to take the bite out of them.
- Be sure to coat all of the vegetables and chicken evenly with the olive oil, lime juice and seasoning mix. I typically toss and massage the chicken and fajita marinade with my hands so that everything is flavoured equally.
- If you want to prep ahead, try these Freezer Meal Chicken Fajitas!
Storage and Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: The cooked Mexican chicken fajitas and pepper mixture will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
You can also store the fajitas already made, but I prefer to heat up the chicken mixture separately and serve it in fresh warm tortillas to prevent them from going soggy in the fridge.
To reheat: Reheat the leftover chicken mixture in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.
You can also reheat the already made fajitas on a baking sheet in the oven at 360F for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent them from drying out.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, chicken fajitas make a great healthier option, especially if you make a few simple swaps! By preparing the fajita seasoning mix from scratch, you can control the ingredients and amount of sodium used, making them a much healthier alternative to the store-bought mix.
The chicken is also a source of lean protein and iron, while the fajita veggies offer fibre and lots of vitamins and minerals, making fajitas a balanced and nutrient-rich option.
Yes! You can either freeze the chicken fajita mixture from a raw or cooked state.
If freezing from raw: Toss the raw marinated chicken strips in a larger freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before cooking.
To freeze from a cooked state: Let the chicken and pepper mixture cool and then place in a large freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. The mixture can be frozen for up to 3 months and should be thawed for at least 24 hours in the fridge before reheating.
Sure! I love the flavour of fajita seasoning, but you can easily use taco seasoning if you prefer. Taco seasoning tends to have more chili powder while fajita seasoning has more cumin so it has a slightly different flavour, but still works well.
The strips of chicken cook quickly on the stovetop in a regular non-stick or cast iron skillet. Because the chicken is cut into thin strips, it will cook up in around 5 minutes. The peppers and onions require about 4-6 minutes of cooking time, so these fajitas can be whipped up in record time!
Yes! I actually love making chicken fajitas with chicken thighs since they are naturally tender when cooked. Paired with the fajita mix, the end result is delicious and juicy chicken.
To use chicken thighs, cut the raw thighs into strips or pieces, marinate in homemade fajita mix and cook up on the stove. You can also grill or bake the chicken thighs whole after marinating them and slice the chicken into thick slices to serve up on warm tortillas.
For the best results, I prefer to serve the fajitas fresh, but you can prepare the chicken mixture and fajita mix in advance and marinate the chicken strips up to a day or two in advance and cook it up right before you’re ready to serve.
If you’d prefer to do some meal prep and cook it all up in advance, the mixture still tastes delicious when made ahead of time.
Toppings for chicken fajitas
The amazing thing about fajitas de pollo is there are so many different ways to spruce them up. For an authentic Mexican dinner, serve them on top of flour tortillas, and load them up with all your favourite toppings!
Top them with:
- Chipotle Guacamole
- Avocado Creme
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Refried beans
- Fresh jalapeno
- Salsa (try this roasted jalapeno salsa)
- Diced tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Avocado slices
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro
What to serve with chicken fajitas
These Mexican chicken fajitas can be eaten as they are or serve them along with your favourite sides!
They taste great paired along with any of the following recipes:
- Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
- Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Cilantro Lime Slaw
- 3-Bean Chili {Vegan}
- Pineapple Mango Salsa
What to do with leftover chicken fajitas
If you have leftover chicken fajita mixture, there are so many ways to repurpose it to create a whole new meal. It’s a great option for cooking once and eating twice!
Try using the chicken and bell pepper mixture in any of the following ways:
- On pizza
- Mixed in with pasta
- Over rice
- In burrito bowls
- On lettuce as a chicken fajita salad
Recipe variations
- To make low carb: Serve the fajitas without tortillas and have the chicken and bell pepper mixture on a lettuce wrap or salad instead.
- To make spicy: Add a bit of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the fajita spice mix.
- To add a bit of sweetness: You can add a bit of honey or brown sugar to the fajita marinade to add a touch of sweetness to balance out the spices nicely.
- Switch out the protein: Instead of chicken, try doing shrimp or steak fajitas instead.
- To make them more hearty: Add some black beans to the chicken and veggies to make them more filling and stretch the mixture even farther.
More Similar Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Street Tacos
- Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos
- Beef Nachos Supreme
- Healthy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup {Slow Cooker}
- High Protein Chili
- Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Authentic Mexican Chicken Fajitas {Fajitas De Pollo}
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- Juice of one lime
- 3 large bell peppers red, yellow and green, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
For the fajita seasoning mix:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teapoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
To serve:
- 8-10 small tortillas corn or flour
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- fresh cilantro
- other desired toppings
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine sliced chicken breast, one tablespoon olive oil, juice of half a lime and the fajita seasoning spices. Toss the chicken until it's evenly coated in the oil and spices. If you have the time, allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to cook, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium high in a large non-stick heavy bottomed or cast iron skillet. Add half of the chicken strips and cook until just cooked, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken. Set chicken aside in a bowl or on a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add in sliced peppers and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Add chicken back to the pan and toss to combine.
- Squeeze additional lime juice over the mixture.
- Serve warm over tortillas with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to cut all the vegetables and chicken in strips that are roughly the same size to ensure everything finishes cooking at the same time.Â
- If you want to save on prep time, you can purchase pre-sliced raw chicken tenders.
- If you have extra time, I highly recommend marinating the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes to infuse even more flavour into the fajitas.
- You can also use taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought) as an alternative to the homemade fajita mix, but I recommend adding a little bit of extra ground cumin if you have some on hand.
- To make the fajitas more kid-friendly, you can soak the onions in cold water while prepping the rest of the ingredients to take the bite out of them.
- Be sure to coat all of the vegetables and chicken evenly with the olive oil, lime juice and seasoning mix. I typically toss and massage the chicken and fajita marinade with my hands so that everything is flavoured equally.
Super easy and so delicious, I double the marinade and added quartered roma tomatoes. Served charro beans and lime rice along side.Thank you for a plate of happiness .
That sounds amazing!! Love the serving suggestions…now I’m totally craving your plate of happiness haha!
I just made these with a couple of modifications. I actually doubled the spices and olive oil for the marinade. The only other change was that I added Roma tomatoes cut into lengthwise wedges to my iron skillet along with the bell peppers…absolutely delicious!
Love it! I bet they were super flavorful with the extra seasonings and tomatoes. Will try that next time!
I made this without the chicken. I think it needs more vegetables if you’re going to do that maybe some mushrooms yellow peppers. also I used a knife to ream the limes. I wouldn’t do that again it came out very sour. but overall this was genius rubbing the seasonings and oils into the vegetables with your hands and letting that marinade with the lime juice. that is the secret to authentic Mexican fajitas. mine never came out right the way they are at the restaurant and that is why. I’m looking forward to making this again with chicken and without the lime flesh. Also I did not use salt because of dietary reasons. I’m sure it tastes amazing with the salt. thank you for sharing this this one recipe I’m writing down on a card.
So happy you enjoyed the recipe even without the chicken! Thanks so much for sharing your tips! Glad it’s a keeper :)
These authentic chicken fajitas are a burst of flavor with tender chicken, perfectly seared veggies, and a medley of spices. Outstanding
Yay! Glad they were a hit! Thanks so much for the kind review :)
Delicious. Thank you!
You’re very welcome! So glad you enjoyed the fajitas!
Made these tonight 😋 Delicious 🤤 Thank you for such a great recipe!! I will put this in my repertoire
So happy you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for the feedback :)
Great!!!!!
Taste just like the ones in Mexico!
Awesome! So happy you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for returning to leave a rating and review :)
My family loves these fajitas..I make them at least every couple of weeks. They’re so flavorful and easy! Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad you’ve been enjoying them and that they’ve become a regular on your menu rotation! Thanks so much for returning to leave a review!