Makdob

Grilled Chicken Fajitas: a make-tonight method

A platter of grilled chicken fajitas with onions, bell peppers, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.
A platter of grilled chicken fajitas with onions, bell peppers, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

These grilled chicken fajitas are chicken breasts and vegetables marinated in a zesty blend of spices, then cooked on the grill to perfection. An straightforward and tasty dinner option!

You can never have too many grilling recipes, and these grilled chicken fajitas are loaded with flavor! Serve your fajitas with black beans and rice, chipotle guacamole and salsa fresca for a memorable meal.

A platter of grilled chicken fajitas with onions, bell peppers, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

I love fajitas, there’s just something amazingly tasty about getting a platter full of meat and vegetables with all the fixings on the side. What I don’t love about fajitas? The sizzling platter. I didn’t care before I had kids but now? The last thing I need is a gigantic burn hazard on the table for three sets of (cute) little hands to grab. So when we go to Mexican restaurants I order something else and I save the fajita making for home where no blazing hot skillets will be involved.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas Ingredients

Ingredients including bowls of olive oil, lime juice, spices and chicken.

To make this recipe, you will need olive oil, lime juice, sugar, salt, cumin, garlic, water, smoked paprika, onion powder, chili powder, cilantro, chicken breasts, red onion and bell peppers.

How do you make grilled chicken fajitas?

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, water and seasonings to make a marinade. Add the chicken and vegetables to the marinade, then refrigerate for at least one hour. Cook the chicken breasts, peppers and onions on an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan, then cut the meat and veggies into slices. Sprinkle with cilantro, then serve the grilled chicken fajitas with tortillas, cheese, sour cream and any other toppings you like.

Chicken, peppers and onions in a bowl of marinade.

tips For The Reliable Dish

  • You can use an indoor grill pan or outdoor charcoal grill or gas grill. They will all work well in this recipe!
  • Feel free to use any color bell peppers that you like. Orange, yellow and red bell peppers are sweeter than green bell peppers. You can also use other types of peppers such as poblano or anaheim chilies.
  • This recipe works finest when you leave the chicken whole and cut the peppers and onions into large pieces. This way nothing will be small enough to fall through the grill grates.
  • Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Be sure to serve your fajitas with plenty of side dishes and toppings such as salsa verde, pinto beans and rice or corn salsa.

Quick Tip

You can use a probe thermometer to gauge when your chicken is cooked through and safe to eat. The thermometer should read at least 165 degrees F.

Chicken, bell peppers and onions on a grill pan.

Recipe FAQs

Do you cut chicken before or after cooking fajitas?

For grilled chicken fajitas, I recommend cutting the chicken after you cook it. This helps to prevent the chicken from falling through the grill grates, and sliced chicken is more likely to dry out over the high heat of a grill. For stove top fajitas, you can slice the chicken before you marinate it, or cook whole breasts and slice them later. Both methods work well.

What is fajita marinade made of?

Fajita marinade contains lime juice, olive oil and spices such as chili powder, garlic, onion powder and cumin.

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Grilled chicken fajitas with sliced cooked chicken, colorful peppers and lime wedges.

Flavor Variations

This recipe is fabulous as-is, but you can easily customize the flavors to suit your taste.

  • Protein: Swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs, boneless pork chops, flank steak or jumbo shrimp.
  • Vegetables: You can do an assortment of veggies such as corn on the cob wheels, mushrooms or zucchini.
  • Seasonings: Feel free to add other ingredients to the marinade such as orange juice, lime zest, fajita seasoning or hot sauce.

I make grilled chicken fajitas all summer long. We love the complex, smoky flavors!

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A platter of grilled chicken fajitas with onions, bell peppers, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.These grilled chicken fajitas are chicken breasts and vegetables marinated in a zesty blend of spices, then cooked on the grill to perfection. An straightforward and tasty dinner option! Time Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Marinating tme1 hour
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes

Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1½ tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 red onion cut into 6 wedges
  • 3 bell peppers halved cored and seeded
  • tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and salsa for serving

Instructions

  1. Place the olive oil, lime juice, sugar, salt, cumin, garlic, water, smoked paprika, onion powder and chili powder in a gallon sized resealable bag or large bowl.
  2. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
  3. Add the chicken, onions and peppers to the marinade.
  4. Chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
  5. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Place the chicken, peppers and onions on the grill.
  6. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, and the peppers and onions for 4-5 minutes per side. Slice the chicken, peppers and onions.
  7. Sprinkle with cilantro, then serve with tortillas and other accompaniments

Notes

  1. This recipe can be prepared on an indoor grill pan, outdoor gas grill or a charcoal grill.
  2. Feel free to use any color bell peppers that you like. Red, orange and yellow peppers are sweeter than green peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal
| Carbohydrates: 13g
| Protein: 26g
| Fat: 17g
| Saturated Fat: 3g
| Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
| Monounsaturated Fat: 11g
| Trans Fat: 0.01g
| Cholesterol: 73mg
| Sodium: 915mg
| Potassium: 755mg
| Fiber: 4g
| Sugar: 7g
| Vitamin A: 4100IU
| Vitamin C: 124mg
| Calcium: 37mg
| Iron: 2mg
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