Easy Chicken Fajitas

I realized recently although I make chicken fajitas fairly often (either from fresh chicken, as shown here, or by seasoning up leftover cooked chicken to create a whole new meal), I’ve somehow never gotten around to writing up a recipe. So this March 26, 2017 edition of Sunday Scratchups takes advantage of cheap chicken this week to bring you another recipe from scratch around ingredients that are either on sale or generally affordable: Easy Chicken Fajitas!

One note here: I would normally use my 12.5″ cast iron skillet to add a nice sear to the chicken, but it somehow disappeared (!) about a month ago. I really have no idea how you lose such a large & heavy piece of cookware, but there ya go: We’re unique over here. I’m not giving up the search just yet, but I really miss my skillet.

Anyway, if you cook your fajitas in cast iron, they’ll develop better browning (and have deeper flavor) than shown in today’s photos — the fajitas were still darn tasty, but definitely kick it up a notch with cast iron if possible. Update! I found it, cleverly hidden inside a roasting pan in the very back of the cabinet. 😉

This is a fairly mild fajitas recipe that lets the flavors of the chicken and veggies shine through. If you prefer yours with more of a kick, though, you can always up the seasonings or add jalapeño to suit your own family’s preferences. The fajita chicken & veggies themselves are both gluten free and dairy free, making this entire recipe optionally GF/DF depending on the fixings you choose to serve alongside them.

Easy Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

– for the marinade

1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
Juice of one small lime
1 tsp minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
2 Tbsp olive oil

– for the fajitas

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
8 oz white or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 bell peppers (any color), de-seeded and sliced
Seasoned salt, to taste
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin

– for serving

Fajita fixings of choice, which could include avocado, guacamole, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, tortillas, lime wedges, salsa, & more (plus cheese/sour cream, if you’re not dairy free)

Directions

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over chicken in separate dish. Toss to coat, and let chicken marinate at least 15 minutes. (You can do this step ahead of time, cover, and keep the chicken marinating in the refrigerator until ready to cook.)

Heat 1.5 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook chicken strips 4-5 minutes a side or until browned on both sides and cooked through.

Remove chicken from pan, dump out excess liquid if necessary, and heat another 1.5 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings, then cook for another few minutes until mushrooms soften. Add chicken back in, stir to combine, and heat through.

Serve with fajita fixings of choice.

Chicken Fajitas are an easy weeknight recipe

How simple is that? This easy chicken fajitas recipe can be on your table in under 45 minutes tonight — or less, if unlike me you get it together in time to marinate your chicken earlier and have it ready to go when you’re ready to cook. 🙂 I tend to use the milder yellow or red bell peppers in fajitas, but green are fine too; go with whatever you have on hand or is on sale. Pre-marinating also helps the chicken stay moist and infuses it with flavor, so just be careful not to overcook it to preserve as much flavor as possible (especially if you’re using cast iron to get that good sear or if you cut your chicken strips more thinly).

Easy Chicken Fajitas, printable recipe

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Easy Chicken Fajitas

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This easy chicken fajitas recipe can be on your table in under 45 minutes tonight — or less, if unlike me you get it together in time to marinate your chicken earlier and have it ready to go when you’re ready to cook. 

Course dinner

Total Time 43 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Rachel Singer

Ingredients

- for the marinade

• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• Juice of one small lime
• 1 tsp minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

- for the fajitas

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 8 oz white or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 bell peppers (any color), de-seeded and sliced
• Seasoned salt, to taste
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin

- for serving

• Fajita fixings of choice, which could include avocado, guacamole, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, tortillas, lime wedges, salsa, & more (plus cheese/sour cream, if you're not dairy free)

Instructions

• Combine marinade ingredients and pour over chicken in separate dish.
• Toss to coat, and let chicken marinate at least 15 minutes. (You can do this step ahead of time, cover, and keep the chicken marinating in the refrigerator until ready to cook.)
• Heat 1.5 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Cook chicken strips 4-5 minutes a side or until browned on both sides and cooked through.
• Remove chicken from pan, dump out excess liquid if necessary, and heat another 1.5 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Add onion and saute for 2 minutes.
• Stir in peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings, then cook for another few minutes until mushrooms soften.
• Add chicken back in, stir to combine, and heat through.
• Serve with fajita fixings of choice.

Notes

I would normally use my 12.5″ cast iron skillet to add a nice sear to the chicken, but it somehow disappeared (!) about a month ago.... if you cook your fajitas in cast iron, they’ll develop better browning (and have deeper flavor) than shown in today’s photos.

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