Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas (5 Ingredients!)

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Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas with tender chicken breast, bell peppers, red onion, and a quick homemade fajita seasoning mix are ready in less than 20 minutes for a tasty restaurant style meal at home.

257 CAL 15g CARBS 5g FAT 33g PROTEIN 1
3 Comments

The best Chicken Fajitas cooked up on one sheet pan with chicken breast, bell peppers, red onions, and all your favorite fajita toppings. Armed with this easy homemade fajita seasoning, these come together in minutes.

Grab some warmed flour tortilla, avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, and salsa for a meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Or serve it as a tasty chicken fajita bowl.

This is one of those super simple meals that take no time to throw together but will quickly become something you make week after week. It really couldn't be easier.

Toss some sliced chicken breast, bell peppers, and onions with olive oil, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Spread it out on a sheet pan and in about 15 minutes you have dinner on the table. You don't even have to marinate the chicken if you are short on time, although it will add some extra flavor.

The other reason you will want to make these for your next taco or Mexican dinner is all the topping opportunities. I am a sucker for anything that allows me to pile on all the toppings and these chicken fajitas are just that.

Set the table with fresh guacamole, salsa or pico de gallo, lime wedges, cilantro, shredded jack cheese, sliced jalapenos, and sour cream. Let everyone build their own perfect chicken fajita. 

Looking for more fajita recipes? Try these Shrimp Fajitas, Steak Fajitas, or Vegetable Fajitas

Ingredients for sheet pan chicken fajitas including sliced chicken breast, bell peppers, lime wedges, red onion, and fajita seasoning.

How to Make Sheet Pan Fajitas

These fajitas couldn't be easier to make! 

1. Prep the ingredients

The hardest part of this recipe is the prep work. Start by slicing green, red, or yellow bell peppers into strips. Cut the onion into thin slices. Then cut the chicken into strips. 

Add the chicken, bell peppers, and onions to a large bowl or ziplock bag. Add olive oil, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Give everything a good stir. 

If you have time, let this act as a fajita marinade and let everything sit for 15-20 minutes. The lime juice tenderizes the chicken and the spices soak in for more flavor. 

2. Bake the chicken and vegetables

Make sure the oven is preheated to 400 degrees. Spread the chicken out on a baking sheet, making sure it is in a single layer for the best results.

Placing the chicken and vegetables in a single layer allows the chicken to brown and get slightly crispy. If the pan is overcrowded, it will steam instead of brown.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is nicely browned and the vegetables are tender and crisp.  The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken strips. 

If you find the chicken hasn't been browned during this time, turn on the broiler. Broil the chicken for 1-2 minutes to get those signature crispy fajita edges. 

3. Serve with warm tortillas and toppings

While the chicken fajitas bake, prep your toppings and side dishes. Warm tortillas on the stovetop or in the microwave. Prep toppings like cilantro, avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, lime wedges, and salsa. Warm up canned beans or refried beans. 

What to Serve with Chicken Fajitas

Fajitas are typically served with Mexican rice, pinto beans, and an array of toppings including lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, avocado, salsa, and sour cream. However, you can easily switch things up to build delicious fajita bowls, salads, quesadillas, and more. 

  • Tortillas: While I almost always reach for corn tortillas, for an authentic experience you will want to use flour tortillas for this easy meal. For the best flavor, lightly toast the tortillas on the stovetop.  I just place them directly on the burner for 10-15 seconds on each side and flip them with tongs. 
  • Toppings: Like tacos, fajitas are all about the toppings. Consider adding sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, cilantro, fresh limes, guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, and anything else you would pile on a taco. 
  • Beans and more: Traditionally fajitas are served with refried beans and rice. Black beans, grilled corn, or an avocado tomato salad are always yummy options.
  • For a lighter option, turn this into a chicken fajita salad by serving it over a big batch of greens with some of this honey lime dressing

Chicken fajitas made on a sheet pan and served in flour tortillas with bell peppers, cilantro, lime, and red onion.

How to Make Fajita Seasoning?

Making your own spice blend for fajitas is easy and so much tastier than buying a store-bought option. You get to control the level of spice, and the ingredients and can ensure it works perfectly for your tastes and preferences.

  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • Extra spicy fajitas? Add a pinch of cayenne powder to your fajita seasoning. 

Recipe Ideas and Tips

There are lots of options when it comes to preparing this chicken fajita recipe both when it comes to the recipe itself and different ways to prepare it.  Here are some easy ways to make this recipe your own.

  • For a heartier dish, consider adding a can of black beans, pinto beans, or corn to the sheet pan with the vegetables and chicken. 
  • If you like things spicy, add a jalapeno pepper or swap in poblano pepper for one of the bell peppers in the recipe.
  • Any onions will work in this recipe, the sweetness of the red onion is nice but a yellow, white, or sweet onion also works.
  • For crispier chicken fajitas with more of that traditional char, broil the chicken for the last 3 minutes to brown the top.
  • If you don't have fajita seasoning and don't feel like making your own, you can use taco seasoning instead. The flavors in the two spice blends are similar, although taco seasoning traditionally includes dried herbs like oregano or coriander. 
  • For an extra pop of flavor, finish the dish with some fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice
  • If you prefer a more traditional preparation, you can make this dish in a hot cast iron skillet. Cook the chicken and vegetables separately to ensure the chicken doesn't end up overcooked. 
  • These chicken fajitas can also be cooked on the grill using a grill basket, piece of heavy duty foil, or flat grilling tray. Another option is to keep the chicken breast whole and then slice once they come off the grill.
  • This recipe also works with chicken thighs, thinly sliced steak, shrimp, tofu, and evenly thinly sliced pork. 

Meal Prep and Leftover Ideas

These chicken fajitas make the very best leftovers making them an ideal candidate for meal prep. Start by doubling or tripling the recipe if needed so you have enough portions. Then let the chicken and vegetables fully cool. Once they are cooled, there are lots of different options for packing them up into different meals. 

Consider making taco rice bowls with cooked brown rice (use frozen as a shortcut) and drained black beans. Then pack some avocado, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese on the side. 

Make crispy chicken tacos with leftover chicken fajita meat and vegetables. They are so easy and so delicious!

Make restaurant-style chicken fajita salads with crunchy chopped Romaine lettuce, canned black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and chicken fajitas. Use homemade ranch dressing mixed with some store-bought salsa or a couple of tablespoons of chipotle adobo sauce for the dressing.

Toss the leftover chicken fajitas with cooked pasta, canned diced tomatoes, and some reduced-fat cream cheese to make a chicken fajita pasta dish with the leftovers. This is so good and so easy. Top with Parmesan cheese. 

One pan chicken fajitas with red onions, bell peppers, and cilantro served in three flour tortillas on a plate.

Can I make these chicken fajitas in a skillet?

This recipe easily converts to a skillet. Start by prepping the chicken and vegetables. For the skillet version, I like to cook the vegetables and chicken separately to start, so I also marinate them separately. 

Start by heating a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add some oil to the pan and add the vegetables. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they are lightly charred and soft.

Remove the veggies and set on the side. Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness), stirring as needed, until just cooked through. Add the vegetables and stir them together. Serve immediately. 

Looking for fajita recipes?

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions about making these fajitas with chicken.

Chicken should always be sliced into strips for fajitas so that the chicken can be browned and crispy on all edges. Traditionally fajitas are cooked in a very hot cast iron pan or comal and part of the appeal is all those caramelized edges that come in contact with the hot pan. 

With that said, you can cook whole chicken breasts on the grill or in a cast iron pan and then slice them into thin slices after they have been cooked. We recommend butter-flying the chicken breast for this approach to ensure it can get browned on the outside without burning or overcooking. 

Since fajita meat is served tortillas with toppings, you only need between 4-6 ounces, or 1/4-1/3 of a pound, of meat per person. Additionally, plan on about 2 bell peppers and 1 onion for every 4-6 people eating fajitas. 

Sheet pan with fajita chicken, bell peppers, red onions, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro.
The Recipe
Sheet pan chicken fajitas with chicken breast, peppers, onions, and limes on a baking sheet .

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas (5 Ingredients!)

257 CAL 15g CARBS 5g FAT 33g PROTEIN 1
PREP TIME: 30 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 45 Min
3 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1.33 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced (any colors)

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Instructions

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1

Toss the chicken, red onion, and bell peppers with the olive oil, lime juice, and fajita seasoning and let rest for 30 minutes. I like to do this in a ziploc bag for easy clean up. This step can be skipped if you are short on time.

Chicken breast strips marinating in a plastic bag with lime juice, fajita seasoning, olive oil, and bell peppers.
2

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. You can also cover with foil for easier clean up. Spread the chicken and vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Sheet pan chicken with bell pepper, red onions, and fajita seasoning on a sheet pan.
3

Place in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is just about cooked through and the vegetables are tender-crisp. Turn the oven up to broil to add some char and crispiness to the chicken for the last 2 minutes of cooking. One important note, the peppers and onions will still have some bite and texture when cooked this way. If you prefer a softer vegetable, place them in the oven 10 minutes before adding the chicken.

Baked chicken fajitas on a white sheet pan with browned chicken, red peppers, yellow peppers, onions, and limes.

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 257
Calories from Fat 44
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g
7%
Saturated Fat 1g
3%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 74mg
24%
Sodium 722mg
31%
Total Carbohydrate 15g
5%
Dietary Fiber 3g
10%
Sugars 3g
Protein 33g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

Notes

To make your own fajita seasoning, combine 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp ground pepper.
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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
3 Comments
On Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas (5 Ingredients!)
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Jean Allen
December 5, 2022 - 10:38
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5
Hi Kristen - what do you send the fajitas with? Do you put them in flour tortillas or with something else?
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Nikki Brown
June 10, 2020 - 15:50
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5
I'm not a very good cook, but I made these fajitas & the family agreed they were awesome!!!
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Jeanne Harris
May 30, 2020 - 14:46
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5
This is a fabulous recipe. The flavors blended very well - not too spicy but just right.
The only change I made was to grill them over charcoal, and I think that added a new dimension to the flavor. The cooking time was the same for making in the oven.

Thank you so much for all the recipes. They have yet to disappoint.
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