Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas are on the menu today! This easy sizzling dinner is made with marinated chicken breasts, bell peppers, and onions, all cooked in a hot cast iron skillet. It’s a quick, healthy meal you’ll want to make on repeat.
Even down here in the Keys, where fish is king, sometimes you just need a good chicken dinner. These fajitas are really good when I want something that tastes great, fast to make, and full of flavor. They’re just as good wrapped in a lettuce leaf as they are in a tortilla for low-carb dieters.
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What are Fajitas?
Fajitas are a Tex-Mex dish made with grilled meat, usually chicken or steak, served with sautéed peppers and onions.
The flavor is smoky, savory, and a little sweet from the caramelized vegetables. You build your own with warm tortillas, so every bite is fresh.
Tacos are similar but usually pre-filled and folded, with toppings like lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.
Both use tortillas, but fajitas focus more on a sizzling skillet-cooked filling.
Ingredients
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil for cooking and marinating.
- Fajita Seasoning: A homemade blend of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
- Onion: One or two large yellow, white, or red onions.
- Bell Peppers: Any color combination
- Sugar: I added a little sugar to the recipe. It's optional but it makes the chicken caramelize and adds a touch of flavor.
- Limes: Regular standard Persian limes or key limes
- Tortillas: wheat, corn or your favorite gluten-free tortillas. We like Siete almond flour tortillas.
- Toppings: cilantro, guacamole, mango pico de gallo, homemade peach mango salsa, and/or a scoop of sour cream.
How To Make Fajitas
To grill chicken on the stovetop, follow these easy instructions.
Grilling instead? Cook marinated chicken on a preheated grill over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-top bag. Add the chicken and coat well. Refrigerate for 20–60 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, slice the onions and peppers into long thin strips.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear for 5–6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Set aside to rest.
- In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and slightly charred, about 5–7 minutes.
- Slice the chicken into strips. Serve hot with tortillas, onions and peppers, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings.
Special Equipment
We used a cast iron grill pan because it holds heat evenly and gives the chicken beautiful sear marks, just like an outdoor grill. It adds a smoky flavor and cooks everything fast. Cleanup is easy too.
No cast iron? No problem. You can use a regular cast iron skillet, a stainless steel pan, or even a nonstick skillet—just make sure it gets nice and hot before adding the chicken.
I'm using a Lodge cast-iron grill pan with a silicon handle. The detachable silicon handle will keep the handle cool while you're cooking. It gets super-hot!
If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, use a heavy-bottomed 10 or 12-inch frying pan.
Sides For Fajitas
- Spanish Rice
- Steamed white rice or cauliflower rice
- Refried beans or black beans
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Grilled vegetables
- Tortilla chips and salsa
- Mango with Chili Lime Salt
Storage and Reheating
Store the fajitas in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Heat in aluminum foil in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes to reheat.
You can also heat them in a hot skillet or microwave for a few minutes.
Tex Mex-Style Fajitas
Tex Mex chicken fajitas are packed with flavor. Made with fresh chicken, onions, bell peppers and a homemade seasoning, this complete dinner is ready in 30 minutes.
Our favorite fajita toppings are cilantro, guacamole, mango pico de gallo or peach mango salsa, and/or a scoop of sour cream.
Don’t forget to try my mom’s Spanish Rice on the side. It’s a staple in our house. My mom’s from Havana and always had a knack for making a perfect pot of rice. This dish is Mexican, but the Cuban version isn’t all that different and it's really good!
For grain free tortillas, try Siete tortillas made with almond flour.
Chicken Fajitas in a Cast Iron Grill Pan
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper add more for additional heat
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- juice of 1 lime
Fajita Filling
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large or 3 small onions any color
- 3 bell peppers
For Serving
- 6-12 flour or gluten-free tortillas
- Lime wedges
- Toppings: pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream, cilantro
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-top bag. Add the chicken and coat well. Refrigerate for 20–60 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, slice the onions and peppers into long thin strips.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear for 5–6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Set aside to rest.
- In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and slightly charred, about 5–7 minutes.
- Slice the chicken into strips. Serve hot with tortillas, onions and peppers, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings.
Bart says
Definitely saving this one.