Fajita
intro
Sizzling, customizable Tex-Mex fajitas with tender spiced chicken, charred peppers and onions, and warm tortillas for a fast, flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Marinate the chicken
Slice 450g of chicken breasts into uniform 1cm thick strips and place in a medium mixing bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh lime juice, and half the pre-measured spice blend (1.5 tsp/3g cumin, 0.5 tsp/1g paprika, 0.5 tsp/1.5g garlic powder, 0.5 tsp/1.5g chili powder, 0.5 tsp/2.5g salt). Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to absorb flavors.
Sear the marinated chicken
Heat a large 30cm cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (190°C/375°F). Once the pan is hot, add marinated chicken strips in a single layer, cooking in 2 batches if needed to avoid crowding. Sear for 3 minutes per side, until strips have golden crisp edges and reach an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
Char the vegetable medley
Reduce skillet heat to medium (175°C/350°F). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil, then toss in sliced bell peppers and onion wedges. Sprinkle with the reserved half of the spice blend, stirring to coat vegetables evenly. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp with dark, slightly charred edges.
Combine fajita filling
Return the seared chicken strips to the skillet with the charred vegetables. Toss gently to combine, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh lime juice, and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat to let flavors meld. Turn off the stovetop heat, then sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro over the top.
Warm flour tortillas
While the filling rests for 2 minutes, heat a separate dry nonstick skillet over low heat (120°C/250°F). Warm each flour tortilla for 20 seconds per side until soft and pliable, then stack wrapped in a clean cotton kitchen towel to retain heat. For a faster method, wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds total.
Serve and assemble
Place the hot cast-iron skillet of fajita filling on a heatproof trivet at the table, alongside the warm tortillas and 120g sour cream for serving. Diners can fill each tortilla with 2-3 spoonfuls of chicken and vegetable mix, then roll tightly to eat.
Tips
2.Cut chicken and vegetables to a uniform 1cm thickness to ensure even cooking; unevenly cut pieces will result in some overcooked, mushy bits and some undercooked, crunchy chunks.
3.Keep warmed tortillas wrapped in a clean cotton towel right up until serving—exposed tortillas will dry out quickly and crack when you try to roll them with filling.
OMG these were SO good! Made them for my family taco night last night and everyone went back for seconds. The seasoning blend is chef’s kiss, no weird store-bought packet aftertaste at all. Can’t believe how quick it came together on a weeknight too, total game changer.
Tried this recipe last minute when my kid’s friends showed up unannounced for dinner! 35 minute cook time was exactly right, I didn’t even have to run to the store because I had all the ingredients in my pantry/fridge. Only thing I messed up was I forgot to warm the tortillas, oops.
Has anyone tried prepping the chicken and veggies ahead of time for weekly meal prep? I’m trying to get my Sunday prep routine locked in and these look perfect.
Brought a big batch of these to my neighborhood block party potluck this past weekend and people were lined up for them! I cooked the chicken and peppers on my outdoor griddle to get that extra char, served them with a little side of sour cream and guac, and people were asking for the recipe left and right. So easy to scale up for a crowd too.
Wait, do these actually sizzle when you bring them to the table like at a restaurant? I’ve always wanted to do that restaurant-style fajita experience for my roommates but I thought you needed a special cast iron platter or something.
I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy food, is the seasoning blend here pretty mild? I really want to make these but I can’t handle anything hotter than a mild taco packet.
I swapped the chicken for shrimp last minute because that’s what I had in the freezer and it was incredible! The seasoning worked so well with seafood too, I was shocked. Only thing is shrimp cooked way faster so I had to adjust the cook time a little.
Made these in my 12 inch cast iron skillet and the char on the peppers and onions was unreal. I added a little squeeze of fresh lime right at the end like the recipe said and it brightened the whole dish up so much. Served with homemade pico and it was better than any fajita I’ve gotten at our local Mexican restaurant.
My kids are so picky, they usually turn their nose up at anything with peppers and onions. Has anyone had luck getting kids to eat these? I’m tired of making separate meals every night.
What’s the protein count per serving on these? Trying to hit my protein goals and these look like a great high protein, low carb option if I use a whole wheat tortilla or even a lettuce wrap.
Made these for date night with my partner last weekend and it was such a hit! We turned on some mariachi music, heated up the cast iron for the sizzle effect, and made margs to go with it. Felt like we were at a restaurant without paying the crazy restaurant prices, 10/10 will make again.
Okay full disclosure I am a TERRIBLE cook, I burn toast 50% of the time. But this recipe was labeled easy and I decided to go for it, and they actually came out edible?! The chicken was juicy, the veggies weren’t burnt, my roommate thought I ordered takeout.
I added some sliced zucchini and mushrooms to the veggie mix because I had them in the crisper drawer that needed to be used up, and it was chef’s kiss! The veggies all cooked at the same rate as the peppers and onions, I didn’t even have to adjust the timing.
Made these for our football tailgate last Sunday! I pre-cooked the chicken and veggies at home, kept them in a heated cooler, and brought all the toppings in separate containers. People were raving about them all game, even the guys who usually just eat hot dogs at tailgates came back for thirds. So portable and easy to serve for a crowd.
How are the leftovers? I’m cooking for just me so I always end up with a ton of leftovers, and I hate when food gets soggy or gross in the fridge.
I doubled the garlic in this recipe because I’m obsessed with garlic, and it was insane. The recipe calls for 3 cloves but I put 6, no regrets. Don’t @ me.
Super happy this recipe is naturally gluten free as long as you use GF tortillas! I have celiac and so many fajita recipes have hidden gluten in the seasoning blends, but making my own with this recipe means I don’t have to worry about cross contamination.
I’ve been making fajitas for 40 years and I have to say, this seasoning blend is better than my old go-to recipe. The little bit of smoked paprika adds such a nice depth I never thought to add before. My grandkids begged for seconds when I made these last Sunday.