Main dishes
Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Onions
Chicken breast marinated with lime and spices, sautéed with bell peppers and red onion and served in tortillas with avocado: fajitas for 4 people in just over an hour.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Mexican
Ingredients
Chicken and marinade
Vegetables
To serve
Method
Marinate the chicken
Cut 600 g chicken breast into 1 cm strips. Toss in a bowl with 15 ml oil, 30 ml lime juice, 10 g minced garlic, 3 g cumin, 4 g smoked paprika, 2 g oregano, 5 g salt and 1 g pepper. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Cut the vegetables
While the chicken marinates, cut 150 g red bell pepper, 150 g green bell pepper and 200 g red onion into 1 cm strips. Chop 10 g cilantro.
Sear the chicken
Heat 15 ml oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in 2 batches, 4–5 minutes each, turning halfway, until golden and 74 °C (165 °F) in the center. Set aside on a plate.
Sauté the vegetables
In the same skillet, with 10 ml oil, sauté the peppers and onion 4–5 minutes, until tender but still crisp.
Combine everything
Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet, stir and cook 1 minute so the flavors come together. Remove from the heat.
Warm the tortillas
Warm the 8 tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat, 20–30 seconds per side, until soft and lightly spotted with gold. Wrap them in a towel to keep them warm.
Assemble and serve
Divide the filling among the tortillas, add 150 g sliced avocado and the chopped cilantro, and serve right away with lime wedges.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Nutrition facts
1 serving (2 fajitas, 1/4 of the recipe)
- Protein
- 41.3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 46 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Sodium
- 1027 mg
Estimate per serving; sodium depends mostly on the tortillas and salt and varies by brand. The USDA value for paprika is used for smoked paprika.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (2018)
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Fajitas are a Tex-Mex dish of sautéed strips of meat and vegetables served in warm tortillas. This version uses chicken breast marinated for 30 minutes in lime juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano.
The chicken is seared in two batches so it browns instead of steaming, and the vegetables are sautéed separately so they stay tender but crisp. It makes 8 fajitas, 2 per person.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes: boneless, skinless thighs are juicier. Cut them into strips and cook 5–6 minutes per batch, until the center reaches 74 °C (165 °F).
How long can I marinate the chicken?
From 30 minutes up to 2 hours in the fridge. Longer, and the lime firms up the surface and the meat turns dry. Discard the raw marinade instead of using it as a sauce.
How do I keep the chicken from drying out?
Cut 1 cm strips, sear them in two batches over medium-high heat and take them off when the center reaches 74 °C (165 °F). When you combine with the vegetables, cook only 1 minute.
