Limited on time? Make these healthy and easy Chicken Fajitas in only 30 minutes for a quick and delicious Mexican dinner tonight!
Chicken fajitas are a very popular meal in my house. Not only are they juicy, flavorful and healthy, but they’re also ready to eat in only 30 minutes!
Time is a big motivator for me. Too often I think I have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen in order to make a delicious meal. And while that holds true for authentic barbecue, slow cooker recipes and grandma’s famous stew, it doesn’t really reflect the majority of weeknight meals that I make.
So when I’m not in the mood to cook and can’t find the motivation to step into the kitchen, I ask myself, “How much total time am I willing to spend making a meal right now?”
Sometimes the answer is zero to five minutes. And those are the nights I eat leftovers or sandwiches. Sometimes it’s 10 to 20 minutes. That’s when I pan fry some chicken, steam some veggies and call it a day.
But most of the time, the answer is 30 minutes or less. Why? Because I can make myself do anything for 30 minutes. I can exercise for 30 minutes. I can clean for 30 minutes. I can pay attention in a boring meeting for 30 minutes. 30 is the magic number.
Cooking good food in that amount of time is totally possible and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Case in point – this 30 Minute Chicken Fajita recipe.
From start to finish, these fajitas should take you 30 minutes to make. I suggest having all of the tools you’ll need (measuring spoons, knives, cutting boards, bowls, etc…) and the ingredients in front of you ready to go in order to make the most of your time.
A quick chicken fajita marinade
The first thing you’ll want to do is slice the chicken into thin strips. This will help reduce the amount of time needed to thoroughly cook the meat. Then chop a handful of cilantro until you have about 1/4 cups worth. If you have any left over, save it for topping your fajitas at the end.
Add the chicken and cilantro to a large mixing bowl and toss together with the following ingredients:
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon – cooking oil, minced garlic, chili powder
- 1 teaspoon – ground cumin, dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon – coarse kosher salt, paprika, Ancho chili powder
Cover and set the bowl aside to marinate while you slice prepare the peppers and onions.
How to make chicken fajitas
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in a tablespoon of cooking oil and the chopped peppers and onions. Sprinkle with some salt and cook for about 8 minutes until the veggies are soft.
Remove them from the skillet, place in a large bowl, cover and set aside.
In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of cooking oil and the marinated chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Add the cooked peppers and onions back to the skillet, mix together with the chicken and voila! Your chicken fajitas are officially done!
Isn’t that the easiest thing ever?
I served these chicken fajitas in some homemade flour tortillas, but you could also eat this with some Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, low carb Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or on top of salad greens.
More recipes you’ll love
- The BEST Easy Chicken Tacos
- The BEST Mexican Carnitas Recipe
- Easy Steak Fajitas
- Baja Fish Tacos
- Easy Guacamole Recipe
- Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe
Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded to an even ½-inch thickness
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (about ½ navel orange)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the peppers and onions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bell peppers, red and orange, cut into thin strips
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the chicken to a large bowl and toss together to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator while you cook the vegetables.
- For the peppers and onions, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions, soy sauce, and kosher salt.
- Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize and the bell peppers are soft and tender. Transfer them to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
- To the same hot skillet, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the marinated chicken. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before slicing into strips.
- Add the sliced chicken and peppers and onions back to the skillet, and give it quick toss to combine. Serve in warm corn or flour tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.
Notes
- To make on the grill: Clean and preheat the grill to high. Oil the grates and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉. Slice and serve as directed.
- You can use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts. If using, you do not need to tenderize it with a meat mallet.
- If you want to marinate for longer or prepare this dish ahead of time, omit the lime and orange juice and marinate for 2-8 hours. Add lime and orange juice right before cooking. Leaving the chicken in the citrus juices for too long breaks down the fibers and gives it a chewy texture.
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