Chicken Fajita Tacos are a delicious and easy meal go-to when food needs to hit the table quickly - a homemade fajita seasoning shines in this simple chicken fajita recipe, but packaged fajita mix works beautifully when time is short.
The holy trinity of ingredients in my kitchen tends to be chicken, peppers, and onions. I'll admit they are my go-to ingredients when I'm craving comfort food (which is often!), and I lean heavily on their use in a lot of my cooking.
And, because CHICKEN FAJITA TACOS!
Chicken fajitas have long been a staple dish when I want a quick, easy dinner that is also healthyish. That is how I rationalize eating so many of them, anyway. Chicken fajitas have a place in my brain as a meal roadmap that can be quickly and easily modified to suit many different meal avenues. Of course, there's the tried and true basic Chicken Fajita recipe prepared simply in a skillet and seasoned with Fajita seasoning - which I'm about to lay on you.
BUT you can also prepare this chicken fajita recipe with a homemade Fajita seasoning or a premade fajita seasoning (you know, the packet kind), or tweak the final preparation and turn it into a chicken fajita burrito or a chicken fajita rice bowl.
But I always come back to Chicken Fajita Tacos. So let's get to the recipe!
If you love tacos, you should also try these fried Walleye Tacos and these Adobo Chicken Tacos. This black bean soup recipe makes a great side dish with these fajitas, as do these zesty Marinated Tomatoes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy! This recipe is pretty basic to cut down on cooking time - while still maximizing flavor. If you have chicken, peppers, onions, tortillas, and fajita seasoning, you're ready to get started.
- Delicious! The fajita seasoning makes this dish delicious without a lot of fuss. Grab a premade seasoning or make your own (try this fajita seasoning).
- Easy to customize. I love easy-to-customize recipes because it lets a person have a roster of go-to dinners at the ready without getting fatigued by making the same exact thing over and over again. Sometimes I toss in black olives at the end of cooking, or swap in jalapenos if I'm craving heat.
How to Make Chicken Fajita Tacos - Ingredients
- Fajita seasoning - I usually keep packets of store-purchased Fajita seasoning on hand, but I also enjoy making homemade fajita seasoning (click to get the recipe).
- Chicken thighs - Chicken thighs are moist and delicious, my favorite cut! Of course, you can use chicken breasts instead here.
- Green bell pepper - You can also use red bell pepper, or yellow, or orange, or a mix!
- White onion - I say go ahead and use a yellow onion if you prefer. I recently saw a YouTube video where Rick Bayless said that yellow onions don't belong in Mexican cooking; but I won't judge you for using whatever onion you like here 🙂 this is Midwexican cooking. But noted, Rick! I'll try to do better.
- Vegetable oil - Olive or canola oil are also fine to use.
- Flour tortillas - Choose smaller flour tortillas for perfectly portioned tacos. And most definitely warm them up before serving.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities needed for this chicken fajita tacos recipe.
Substitutions
- Fajita seasoning - Go ahead and use taco seasoning if that's what you have on hand.
- Chicken - Swap in pork instead! Or try it with shrimp.
- Green bell pepper - You could also use poblano peppers here. Or any mild-ish pepper you prefer.
- Flour tortillas - I love corn tortillas, but when I make chicken fajitas I lean team #flourtortilla for nostalgic reasons. If you want to use corn tortillas, be sure to warm them up and double them up before loading up with fajitas.
Spicy Chicken Fajita Taco Variation
Do you want to turn up the heat on this Chicken Fajita recipe? No problem! Here are some suggestions to get you started.
- Toss in a fresh jalapeno or two
- Or toss in a fresh serrano or Thai chili
- Add a few dashes of cayenne pepper
- Add a few dashes of hot sauce
- Marinade your chicken in leftover pickled jalapeno juice for 30 - 60 minutes beforehand
- Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes
How to Make Chicken Fajita Tacos - Instructions
- Step 1. Cut up chicken thighs into smaller bite-sized pieces and add to a bowl. Add all of the fajita seasoning, stirring to thoroughly coat the chicken. Set aside and finish prepping.
- Step 2. Slice up the bell pepper and onion, roughly aiming for around ¼ inch thick pieces.
- Step 3. Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers with heat, add in the fajita-seasoned chicken. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 4. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Once the oil shimmers with heat, add all the peppers and onions.
- Step 5. Cook pepper and onion over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally; you want to retain some crispness so there's some snap when you take a bite.
- Step 6. Turn off the heat and add the cooked chicken back to the pan. Stir and serve piping hot with warm tortillas.
Storing & Reheating Fajitas
I'll happily eat leftover chicken fajitas, but let's be real. Leftover peppers and onions lose that signature crunch when reheated. But you have recourse to repurpose them into something delicious. Sometimes I incorporate leftover fajitas into scrambled eggs (which can be used to make breakfast tacos) or sneak them into a burrito, bolstered by leftover rice or shredded lettuce.
Store leftover chicken fajitas in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating on the Stovetop: Add leftover fajitas to a skillet over medium heat; put a lid on it and cook until heated through, around 5 minutes.
Reheating in the Air Fryer: This might be my favorite reheating method. Arrange leftover fajitas in a single layer on a baking sheet and air fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-5 minutes.
Top Tips
Homemade fajita seasoning. Try making homemade fajita seasoning! I find the flavors you can achieve are bolder than packaged fajita seasonings (though they are great to have on hand for meals that need to be prepared super quickly!). Plus you have more control over the sodium when you make your own.
Preheat tortillas. Heat tortillas in a frying pan over medium-high heat to make them more pliable. When heating up, flip frequently to ensure the tortilla doesn't burn. I like to cook them until I start seeing some browning in areas.
Recipe FAQs
No, but there are several ingredients in common between fajita and taco seasoning, sharing ingredients including chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. This is how I remember the difference in application: Fajita seasoning is intended to enhance grilled flavors, and leans acidic. It's perfectly paired with lighten proteins like chicken or shrimp. Taco seasoning is bolder, more savory, able to stand out against any protein. It stands up to beefy cuts like flank steak well.
I recommend keeping it simple with cotija (or feta) cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce. But you could also add sliced avocado, shredded lettuce, black olives, or sour cream or crema. It's also fantastic paired with this Creamy Salsa Dressing and this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce.
Side Dishes to Pair with Chicken Fajitas
Try pairing this chicken fajita recipe with one of these tasty side dishes.
Chicken Fajita Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning or 1 fajita seasoning packet
- 1.5 pounds chicken thighs
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 medium-sized white onion
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- flour tortillas
Instructions
- Cut up chicken thighs into smaller bite-sized pieces and add to a bowl. Add all of the fajita seasoning, stirring to thoroughly coat the chicken. Set aside and finish prepping.
- Slice up the bell pepper and onion, roughly aiming for around ¼ inch thick pieces.
- Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers with heat, add in the fajita-seasoned chicken. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Once the oil shimmers with heat, add all the peppers and onions.
- Cook pepper and onion over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally; you want to retain some crispness so there's some snap when you take a bite.
- Turn off the heat and add the cooked chicken back to the pan. Stir and serve piping hot with warm tortillas.
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